Corona
by The Hatter Theory
Summary: AU/SessKag A corona is the halo of light surrounding a heavenly body. Sesshoumaru sees nothing but a sustained chemical reaction, and within it Kagome finds an escape.
1. Shadows The Sun

This was done for Riku Ryuu's Odd Job challenge on Dokuga. It's something that's been puttering around in my head for a long time, and I need a break from the other story I'm working on (which will be posted once it's done in it's entirety). This one will be my escape, because it combines my two favorite things, writing and spinning. I hope you all enjoy. (If you don't understand what I mean by fire spinning, you can go to DA and find lots of beautiful photos and youtube has a plethora of videos).

**Disclaimer :** I do not own Inu Yasha or it's characters. I'm stealing them and turning them into pyros for our (hopefully) mutual amusement.

**Corona**

**By :** The Hatter Theory

**Chapter One : Shadows The Sun**

* * *

As the sun was setting, Kagome was sneaking furtively from her shrine, craning her neck every which way to see if anyone was outside. Like a burglar, her movements were quick and silent as she hurried from shadow to shadow, eyes on the prize.

Getting to the steps seemed to take forever, and she peeked over the edge to make sure no one was making a late trip up to the shrine. Once confirming the coast was clear, she exhaled, finally allowing the excitement she'd been hiding all day to come to the forefront, practically skipping down the stone stairs and into the growing darkness.

A car was waiting, just as had been promised. The engine was off, and it was dark inside except for the glow of a single red dot, which she guessed -correctly- was a cigarette. Opening the door and throwing herself inside, she giggled, exhilaration stealing her breath. The smell of chemicals and cigarette smoke mingled, one loved and the other tolerated.

"Let's go!" She urged breathlessly. The car roared to life, old engine sputtering angrily as a backfire rang through the air, and they were off.

"Do you have to do that?" She demanded, rolling the window down once they were on their way. Smoke was filling the interior of the car, making her eyes water.

"My car," Kujaku replied, winking at the younger woman, but rolling down her window anyway, cigarette dangling from her lips while she executed a sharp right turn. "You have to sneak out again?"

"Yeah," Kagome sighed, trying not to feel guilty that she had deceived her mother and grandfather again. Brightening, she opened the bag at her feet and pulled out two large metal folding fans. "I finally got them though!" She explained, opening one of the fans.

"Holy shit! I've never seen anything like that!" Kujaku exclaimed, swerving slightly as she looked at the fans wide eyed and slightly envious.

"Eyes on the road!" Kagome snapped, feeling slightly queasy. "I went to a swordsmith asking if he knew anything about tessen," She explained, ignoring her friend's crude speech. "Really nice guy too. Once I explained what I was doing, he got really enthusiastic, said it would be a unique challenge. I'll probably be going back for custom stuff."

She didn't mention that she had gone to several people claiming to be weaponsmiths before finding one that had actually responded to her emails.

"The cost must have been ungodly," Kujaku observed. Kagome flushed colorfully, thinking about how much it had cost despite the swordsmith's discount for 'a pretty girl'. Three months of every spare yen she made had gone into a fund to pay for the fans.

"It wasn't that bad," She said slowly, earning a chuckle from the other woman.

"I can't wait to see 'em in action. Should be beautiful. Here we are," She announced, pulling into a parking lot. "We're hoping the neighborhood doesn't try to get us kicked out of this one," She admitted as she started to get out. Kagome nodded, carefully storing the steel fans in her bag and getting out. Kujaku pulled a staff from the back seat and a bag, tossing the bag over the hood of the car. Kagome caught it expertly, and Kujaku finished by pulling out a paint can and closing the door with her hip.

In the distance, she could see the telltale red ribbons of fire beckoning, and had to stop herself from running over to the group of people on the basketball court. Kujaku, noticing her eagerness, laughed deeply and threw an arm over the girl's shoulder.

"Two more minutes, and then you can play all you want," She managed around her laughter. Kagome nodded, allowing the older woman to hold her back. As it had every time, her stomach filled with butterflies as the smell of oil and kerosine got stronger, mixing with smoke.

"Hey, little sister and big sister are here!" A voice called out over the noise of the fire. Kagome was able to make out Hakkaku on the other side of the blacktop, his mohawk hidden beneath a blue bandanna. He was waving her over enthusiastically, and Kujaku's arm fell away, allowing Kagome to run around the fire spinners in the center and hug him.

"I've missed you guys!" She admitted as he ruffled her hair.

"We've missed you too. What happened?"

"Mom found out I was coming here."

It was all that needed to be said. Nodoka was a good mother, but she had put her foot down at the idea of her daughter hanging out with the pack, as they called themselves.

Once Kujaku had seen Kagome fiddling with a fan, going through one of the traditional dances, she had pulled her into the group of performers that met once a week to cut loose, and Kagome's attention on school had been thoroughly derailed, much to her mother's dismay. School had -for the first time in her life- taken second string to learning to play with fire as all the others did. Books couldn't excite her nearly as much as the smell of kerosine and oil burning.

For awhile, Nodoka had managed to guilt her daughter out of such 'frivilous' activities. But only for a time. Kujaku had respected Kagome's wish when she'd backed off from the group, but Kagome herself couldn't stay away.

"I finally got my fans," She announced, smiling up at her 'big brother'.

"You're going to burn tonight?" He demanded loudly, garnering attention from those around him.

"Yup!" She announced, earning applause. "Finally!" She crowed happily.

"Kouga's going to be so mad he had to work. Well don't just sit here, go soak the fans," He commanded in a mock authoritative tone, pulling away and crossing his arms, trying to look menacing and failing miserably. Nodding, Kagome walked back to Kujaku, who was already soaking the heads of her staff in kerosine. Opening her bag, she pulled out the two fans and the containers the sword-smith had added as a free bonus. Excitement trilled through her as she poured kerosine into the wide basins and opened her fans reverently, smiling at the sound of metal spreading open and the whisper of the kevlar rubbing against itself.

"Nervous?" Kujaku asked, smiling down at the young woman she'd brought into the group. Kagome nodded, although her smile didn't falter. She was surprised to notice her hands trembling lightly.

"You'll do fine, and I'll be your spotter," Kujaku told her in a warm voice. Nodding absentmindedly, Kagome stared down at the fans, watching the bands of kevlar soak up the fluid, barely hearing the roar and whip like sounds of the fire spinning behind her.

"Best to not look at the fire directly," Kujaku reminded her. "Messes with you eyes."

"I know," Kagome chuckled, breath coming in short pants. "I feel like I'm going to vomit butterflies," She finally admitted, eyes moving to lock with the other woman's.

"It's normal," Kujaku admitted as she stretched her arms and back, moving with a grace Kagome envied. "Just wait until afterward. It'll feel like you won't be able to sleep for a week."

"Was that how it was for you?" Kagome asked, blue eyes wide.

"Oh yeah. I couldn't sleep at all that night, and I thought my heart was going to come out of my chest. It was amazing," Her friend replied wistfully. "Even now it takes me a few hours to come down enough to sleep."

Kagome nodded and watched her friend finish her stretches and grab her staff. As was ritual for her, she spun it a few times to throw off excess oil, and smiled at Kagome.

"Spot me," She commanded with a smirk. Kagome grabbed one of the towels that soaked in a five gallon bucket and moved to the edge of the blacktop, not caring that her arms were chilled by the cold water as Kujaku touched the heads of her staff to an offered lighter and the heads flared to life.

She admired the woman's movements and the way she seemed so relaxed as she began twirling the long staff into the air, tossing it in such a way that it twirled at it came down to rest in her palm with practiced ease.

The fire itself almost blinded Kagome as it arced and swung in patterns, Kujaku dancing with it, carefully avoiding the two other spinners on the blacktop. Every time the fire lit up her face, she was smiling peacefully, as if meditating instead of jumping and spinning and twirling. Briefly, Kagome wondered if she would look as happy and calm.

Kujaku fumbled the staff, dropping it instead of catching it on it's way down, and Kagome's heart jumped into her throat. The staff bounced off her arm and onto the blacktop, clattering angrily. She was about to move forward when she saw Kujaku pick it up with a chagrined smile and begin moving again.

Nothing had caught fire, thankfully. Kagome offered a small prayer to the kami and kept watching, almost hypnotized by the circles her friend began spinning.

Soon the flames began to dim, and the fire spinner began swinging her staff faster and faster until the orange vanished leaving a dim blue that puttered out, and smoke trailed in the wake of the fire. She moved over to Kagome, smiling and breathing heavily.

"Thanks," The woman fairly gasped, sweat beading her forehead. "Your turn's coming up. We're just going to wait for the others to finish and free up the floor," She said as she dropped the staff on the concrete next to the bench. The smell of chemicals and smoke rose from it, almost stealing Kagome's attention. Almost.

"You mean I'm going to be by myself?" She demanded shrilly. "I don't think I can do that," She began, only to be cut off.

"Tradition," Kujaku said with a smug smile as she took a swig of water from her bottle. "First burns are always given full attention. Besides, you'll be wonderful, I've watched you practice."

Shoulders slumping in defeat, Kagome cast a doubtful glance down at the basins holding her fans, suddenly more afraid than excited. She had wanted to dance, but she wasn't sure she could with the attention of the whole group focused on her.

"It'll be fine," Kujaku reassured. "It definitely can't be as bad as Ginta's first time. He hit himself in the nuts with his poi and caught his pants on fire," She reminded Kagome. The story was one of the group's favorite, often recited after the burns when they stopped at the all-night diner.

"Or your top," Kagome added impishly, relaxing a little.

"No one's ever going to leave that one alone, will they?" The older woman muttered. "At least I was smart enough to wear cotton instead of something synthetic."

"Which is why the strap disintegrated and the shirt fell off," A new voice added. Both women turned and smiled up at Kujaku's brother, Seiten. "Hey guys, sorry, my study group ran late," He added. His admission shamed Kagome, reminding her that she had told her mother not to disturb her, she was studying for a big -nonexistent- test.

Catching Kagome's drooping shoulders, Kujaku flicked her on the forehead, startling the young woman.

"None of that. Tonight's your first burn and the beginning of a life long love. No sad faces," She commanded gruffly. Kagome nodded, forcing a smile despite the guilt and nervousness warring within her.

"You're burning tonight?" Seiten asked, hoping to distract his friend from her sudden melancholy.

"Let me put your hair up," Kujaku ordered as she moved behind her and began pulling Kagome's long black hair into a bun. "You should see the fans she had made. They're beautiful," Kujaku added, nodding to the basins. "Kagome, who made them? You just said you went to a sword-smith."

"His name's Totosai. Pretty strange old guy, but nice," She added thoughtfully. "And I think he was hitting on me, but I don't know." The bun was finished and Kagome patted it, surprised by how tight it was.

"Hitting on you?" Seiten asked with a raised brow.

"He gave me a discount for being pretty. I think."

"Smart old man," Kujaku murmured. "The blacktop's clear. Come on," She reminded Kagome. Startled, the student turned and saw that everyone was staring at her, waiting patiently with smiles.

"Go Kagome!" A voice called out, and she was surprised by the sudden calls for her to start. The overwhelming feeling of support from the others, people she was more than happy to call her friends, brought tears to her eyes, distracting her from her schoolwork and family problems and even her nervousness. Moving to grab her fans, she flicked them, surprised by how much the kerosine weighed them down. Drops flew away and once she was satisfied, she moved to the blacktop. Butterflies that had gone silent began fluttering madly and she prayed she wouldn't make a fool of herself.

Someone came forward with a lighter and flicked it open expertly. As the flame touched the first fan, the fire racing along the edge that was covered in the yellow band of kevlar. Kagome touched the second fan to it and watched both come to life within her hands. Yellow, red and orange reflected off of the metal spines and cast flickering shadows everywhere.

Forcing herself to look away from the brightness, she ignored the dots dancing in her vision and moved into position.

Once, when she was very little, she had gone to her father's company gathering, and they had hired several geisha for a performance. They had danced, their steps small and their movements tight. At that point, Kagome had decided that she wanted to do something different. Traditional movements were too limited for her, and it had proven to be the bane of her existence when her mother tried teaching her the different dances.

The fans in her hands swept up in twin arcs on either side of her body, meeting together to form a rough circle. With an ease born of hours of practice, she slammed them shut, delighted that despite the added weight from the fluid, they slid shut smoothly.

Her steps were long strides, and she swept large circles around her with her arms, the fans extensions of herself. Starting high, she brought them down low as she spun, creating spirals around herself. Had she been outside of the strobe like effects of the fire, she would have seen her movements leaving trails of light in the air as she continued.

Almost reaching the ground with her hands, she snapped the fans back open, the metal chiming melodically as she brought her hands in front of her and held the fans lengthwise, bringing them close and spreading them open and closing them as she lunged back and forth, imitating the movement's of a dragon's mouth. Over the noise of the blaze she could hear amused laughter, and her confidence grew.

More leaps and twirls, then stillness. She paused, inhaling deeply. Her heart was thudding heavy in her chest, and she tossed the fans, watching them both flip and catching them deftly. Emboldened by her success, she continued with the tosses, sending the metal fans into the air and catching them in different hands, juggling them expertly.

The flames began to dim, and she caught the tessen in her hands and began spinning them in between her arms and out in circles, then snapping them shut, effectively killing the flames. Adrenaline and endorphins lulled her into a half dream state, and she was barely aware of her deep breaths or the smile on her face as she looked up to the sky.

The enthusiastic applause startled her back into the real world. For a moment she had been lost in her own head, not even aware of her friends watching. Sounds began filtering back in and the world became clear and focused, the edges of everything crisply defined. Her whole body tingled, energy still pulsing beneath the surface of her skin. She wanted to keep moving, keep dancing.

"That was awesome!" Kujaku breathed as Kagome moved from the center of the blacktop and sat her fans down on the concrete. Immediately the student was surrounded by cheering friends hugging her and congratulating her on her first burn.

"Your fire cherry's been popped!" Hakkaku shouted, ruffling her hair. "We should celebrate and go grab a beer!"

"You just want to rub it in Kouga's face that he wasn't here," Ginta laughed, referring to the bartender that had been trying -unsuccessfully- to hide a crush on the young woman from the moment he'd met her.

"I think he just wants an excuse to see the pretty new waitress at the bar," Kagome groused, pulling away and undoing the bun, shaking her hair out. "Besides, I need to get back home before mom realizes I'm missing."

Elation began to recede as reality came rushing back, her guilt crashing over the bliss.

"I'll take you back," Seiten offered. "I've got to hit the books tonight anyway."

"That would be great!" Kagome chirruped, smiling despite the sudden loss of that peaceful feeling. "You guys have a beer for me. Next time I'll just tell mom I have a study group or something and I can stay later," She offered once she saw Kujaku and Hakkaku's dismayed expressions.

"Sounds good," Kujaku sighed. Seiten ruffled his sister's hair and moved to gather Kagome's things, pouring her extra fuel into the paint can Kujaku carried with her. Kagome checked her fans and satisfied they'd cooled down, folded them and threw them into her bag.

The collective goodbye rang through the night, and Kagome hugged herself, smiling gently.

"Are you ever going to tell your mom the truth?" Seiten asked as they walked towards his car. Kagome felt her pleasure dimming more and more at the thought of her mother.

"I'll figure it out somehow," She sighed, arms dropping to her sides. "Just not right now."

"You'll figure it out," He assured her. "But now that you've burned, you probably won't go back. It's like being an arsonist," He laughed.

"I'll be sure to bring that point up when I tell her," Kagome muttered dryly.

"Hey, arsonists destroy things," He reminded her. "We make the world more beautiful."

Kagome allowed his words to warm the part of her soul that had gone cold at the mention of her mother. She wanted to create beautiful things, and her mother would, with time, see that.

She hoped.

* * *

That night Ginta sat in front of his computer, fairly cackling as he uploaded the video of that night's performance by the young woman onto his forum. Based around the idea of bringing local pyros together and having fun, the competitive nature of several members had turned it into a war zone, one he was about to throw Kagome into.

"Let's see that witch outdo that," He smirked as the video finished uploading. He labeled it 'The Pack's newest member and her first burn', then placed the tag 'double fire fans'.

On the forum it was no secret that a rival pyro was proud of her technique and incredibly vain. Not many chose fans, and she had long considered herself the top of those few. The one time Ginta had met her, she had treated him and the rest of the pack like dirt, and he only wished he could see the expression on her face when she watched the video.

* * *

"Hey, Sesshoumaru, there's something you've got to see," Inu Yasha called through the door.

"I'm studying," Sesshoumaru replied, not even looking away from his laptop. His fingers flew over the keyboard as he worked on his paper.

"I'm serious," Inu Yasha snapped. "I found a girl using fans!"

"Kagura uses a fan," He replied absentmindedly, pausing to see if his sentence flowed smoothly.

"She's using tessen jackass, not some wimpy girl fan. And fans, multiple. Not one. I've never seen fans like this either. They fold and open perfectly," Inu Yasha's voice bit out through the door. Exhaling deeply, Sesshoumaru pushed himself from the bed and moved to the door, accepting he wouldn't get any peace until he gave in to his half brother's whining.

"Look at this," Inu Yasha said without preamble, thrusting the laptop screen into his face. Sesshoumaru watched, surprised by the size of the fans and the way the girl handled them.

"She'd be perfect," Inu Yasha boasted.

"No."

"What do you mean, 'no'?" The younger Taisho snapped, closing the laptop and tucking it under his arm. "She's amazing. I've never seen anyone do double fans like that."

"Her movements are untrained. She's new, and she doesn't know what she's doing. She flitting around like a moron." He was turning to go back into his room when his younger brother growled angrily, muttering something under his breath.

"Come again?" Sesshoumaru demanded.

"She could be trained. She's not flitting, she's moving more-" Inu Yasha stopped, searching for the right words. "She's not trying to be a butterfly. It's like she's trying to move like a hawk or a falcon. You could train her, you know about tessen, more than most people anyway."

While it wasn't the strongest vote of confidence, Sesshoumaru knew his bastard half brother had a point. Not many people cared about tessenjutsu anymore, and certainly not anyone in the performing community. It would give their troupe an edge over their competition. But was it worth it? In six months it would be over. Training the girl to be even halfway decent would take at least that long.

"No," The taller man intoned before turning and moving back into his room. His door was almost shut when Inu Yasha's foot blocked it.

"We need a replacement for Kikyo and the others."

"Or you could apologize," Sesshoumaru offered, taking the smallest bit of vindictive pleasure when the other man colored and cursed.

"It's not going to happen. Just give in. We need something new, and she'd be perfect," Inu Yasha tried again.

"If you can even find her, then you can do as you will. But she's not joining," He sighed, slamming the door just hard enough to make his brother yank his foot back and curse even more loudly.

Smirking, he moved back to his futon, cursing his surroundings when he heard the younger Taisho complaining through the thin walls.

It was their inability to get along that had landed them in their current predicament. And their current apartment, if it could even be called that. The walls were different colors from years of smoking tenants and water stains, and the room itself was little more than a closet, certainly nothing compared to what he had lived in six months ago.

Cursing his father's 'wonderful' idea, which had turned out to be more punishment than any sibling rivalry could have warranted, he moved back down onto the bed and pulled his computer back onto his lap. For several minutes he stared at the document he'd been working on, mind wandering back to the video. Giving in, he opened his web browser and clicked on the shortcut to the pyro forum.

The video was the first one linked to on the front page, and he was surprised by the title. Her movements hadn't seemed like those of someone playing with fire for the first time. Curiosity piqued, he clicked on it and watched the young woman, unnamed from what he could see, smiling tremulously as someone lit her fans.

He watched her movements with a disapproving scowl. Inu Yasha had been right, she wasn't moving like a normal female would. Most female performers, especially those using fans, had light movements and focused more on dancing with their bodies, letting the props add to their 'sensual' movements. But the girl in the video was almost using her body to enhance the fans, and there was no attempt on her part of appear sensual at all.

And she lunged and jumped and spun wildly, her movements more free than those of other female dancers. Certainly not like a butterfly. But not elegant enough to be considered a bird of prey either. Once the video was done, he shut the laptop and leaned back against the wall, musing on the puzzle.

Untrained and -he was willing to bet- completely ignorant of the tradition behind her props, which could either be a blessing or a curse. She could be serious about performing, or she could have just found the props and decided they were pretty, which he had seen before. Musing over the possibility that she could be someone worth looking into at least, he admitted to himself there would be no focusing on his schoolwork that night.

His hand went to his bicep, callused fingertips moving over the smooth stump. Not for the first time he wondered if he could have ended the 'lesson' his father sought to teach him by swallowing his pride and directly informing him of the loss. Bitterness threatened to choke him and he pushed the thought away. Within six months, as long as he hadn't murdered his brother or tanked the small business he had created, he'd be able to go back home forget the experience. Except for that one 'small' detail.

* * *

When Kagome shimmied up the tree outside of her house and over the branches, she was surprised to see the light off. Trying to recall if she had turned it off, she knew she hadn't. With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, she tossed her bag inside and then slipped her feet onto the sill. Dread growing heavier in her belly by the moment, she thrust herself inside and was surprised when the light came on and the first thing she saw was her mother, hand still on the light switch.

"You went out," Nodoka observed. Somehow she didn't make it sound like an accusation, just a statement of fact. A damning one.

"I-I did," Kagome stuttered as her cheeks grew hot with shame.

"Where did you go?"

"I just went to the park with Kujaku-"

"That girl is not the sort of person you should be spending your time with. Those people will only distract you from what's important," Nodoka reprimanded, eyes hard and fists clenched at her sides. "You've been doing so well Kagome. You can be more than me, you can do more."

"But mom, it's just an activity, it's not going to stop me from-"

"Just listen," Nodoka interrupted. "I don't want you to be stranded like I was. I want you to at least have the option of being independent. Your college is expensive, and you can't afford distractions. I don't want you going out with those people again."

"But mom," Kagome whimpered, already knowing that she would break the decree, for it was nothing less than that. "My grades are fine, and I'll keep studying hard. I can do both."

"I've told you what I think Kagome. I know you'll make me proud," Nodoka said before turning and leaving Kagome alone in her room. The door shut behind her softly, the gentle click somehow hurting more than the crashing of a slam would.

Grabbing her bag, she fell onto her bed and curled around it, mildly comforted by the scents bleeding through the canvas.

* * *

**A/N :** Tessen are a heavier, sturdy fan used by samurai. Some were made able to open, and others were just made in the shape of a closed fan (a small club essentially). Wikipedia and several weapons sites go into their use and legends associated with them. Kagome's fan is based more off of the menhari-gata, which was a larger, open and closed fan with metal tines. Sometimes they also featured spikes as the end of the tines as well.

Tessenjustsu is the training in the use of a fan.

This is set in 2001 roughly, when Kagome is 20 years old (going roughly by when RT said the manga took place). In the last ten years fire spinning has become a pretty mainstream, fun activity that lots of people are into. This is set before that for several reasons.

Hmm, otherwise I can't think of what to say. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, and like I said, I really encourage you to go look at pictures of fire spinning. They're about as magical as you can get without using photoshop.

Oh, and as for Ginta's first burn, (which is what we call it when we play) this is based off of someone I know. He really did hit himself in the nuts and set his pants on fire. Thankfully he was put out by his spotter.


	2. Lost in Vagueness

**Corona**

**By:** The Hatter Theory

**Chapter 2 : Lost in Vagueness**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inu Yasha and co, I'm just taking them from one plotline and throwing them into my own for our mutual enjoyment.

* * *

Inu Yasha saw Kouga's signature ponytail moving ahead of him in the hall, the rest of him obscured by a gaggle of females. Rudely pushing through the crush of students, he began calling out the bartender's name, hoping to catch his attention.

"Kouga! Damnit, Kouga, I'm talking to ya!" Inu Yasha called out angrily. When he received no response, he began hurrying, not even paying attention to the people he pushed to the side.

"Oi, he'll talk to you later," Inu Yasha growled when he finally made it to the group of fangirls surrounding the school bad boy. The girls began moving away, casting dubious glances at the pair. Kouga flashed one of his grins and they all smiled adoringly as they gave the two men space.

"What?" Kouga snapped hotly as he began walking away at a fast clip. Blue eyes stayed focused straight ahead, not even looking at him.

"I need to know who uses fans in your group," Inu Yasha blurted, surprised the wolf hadn't told him to piss off like he normally did.

"No," Kouga bit out, not even looking at him.

"Come on," Inu Yasha cajoled. "Look, I know that you're still mad about what happened with Ayame, but-"

"Piss off," Kouga snapped, veering away from his former friend down the hall. Inu Yasha was fairly certain it didn't lead to his next class.

"Come on! Stop being such a little bitch about it!" Inu Yasha snarled angrily, cursing under his breath when Kouga didn't even look back. "Asshole."

He turned, intent on getting to his next class when he bumped into someone, sending papers flying. Added on to his string of expletives, he bent down to help the girl gather her papers. Before he could offer much help, or even utter an apology, she had gathered the books and papers and was off, practically flying away.

"Hey, don't be so fucking clumsy next time!" He shouted down the hall, waving his fist to emphasize his point. She didn't even look back.

* * *

In the four months since he'd lost his arm, he'd learned to manage perfectly well. Dressing had been awkward at first, especially zippers, but he'd managed. Packing took a little longer than it had, although he'd trained himself not to reach with a hand that was no longer there. Typing, likewise no longer proved a difficulty, his ability still garnering envy from other students in his class. Even swordplay had been easy enough to adapt to.

And it had one unexpected but welcome side effect. Once the females of his school, from freshmen to the professors, had hit on him, hounded him, and generally been a nuisance he had dreamed of sending to the moon. Now that the arm was gone and he made no effort to hide it, in fact, he wore short sleeves so the stump could show almost proudly, the women avoided him.

Shouldering his bookbag, he moved into the hall, mind occupied with the test coming up. His teacher was an american, a class of people he considered crass at best. Her latest lesson had been comparing the mythology of his people to the reason they had a 'do or die' attitude about life. That she had been foolish enough to mention it being directly linked to their defeat in world war two had made it one of the most offensive lectures he'd attended to date. The whole of his sociology class had been offended, and he had a sneaking suspicion that once the dean got wind of it, she'd be out of a job.

Pushing his long hair away from his face impatiently and readjusting the strap of his bookbag, he narrowly avoided the one woman whirlwind heading straight for him. As it was, she brushed against him and let out an indignant cry as two of her books spilled off of the pile.

"I'm so sorry, please forgive me!" She gasped as she bent to pick up her books, dark hair spilling over her face and obscuring it from his vision. Normally he would not move to help anyone, but offended by her profuse apology, no doubt spurred by his supposed disability, he bent down to pick one of the books up. If nothing else he would demonstrate he was not so disabled as she thought.

Instead, he paused midway, his nose inches from her hair. The smell of kerosine and smoke clung to it, a scent he had no trouble recognizing.

"Look, I'm really sorry," She apologized. "I'm just a mess today, please forgive me," She mumbled as she gathered the books and stood. He straightened, and was surprised to see the girl from the video. Blue eyes widened as they moved over his person, zeroing in on his stump. His eyes narrowed, and she seemed to feel the sudden drop in temperature. Blushing hotly, she turned her gaze away and murmured an apology.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just didn't-"

"Your burn last night was impressive," He interrupted, already despising where she was going. Indifference, even curious silence he could handle. Profuse apologies only served to prick his temper. But now that he saw her in person, he couldn't help but feel the slightest bit impressed by her performance. She certainly didn't look like someone that could accept fire without flinching.

Instead of thanks, or even blushing, she paled considerably.

"I've got to go," She muttered, practically fleeing his presence. He watched her hurrying down the hall, taking note that she was entering the classroom he had just left. The door slammed behind her, echoing in the hallway.

"Strange girl," He murmured, readjusting his bag and walking away.

* * *

Kagome was intent on getting to the library when she felt someone grab her arm, stopping her abruptly and sending her books falling to the ground for the third time that day.

"For the love of all that's holy, why can't I hold onto anything today?" She demanded, eyes locked on the sky. Turning to see Kujaku's worried expression she shrugged helplessly before bending down to gather her things.

"Is everything alright?" Her friend asked, bending down to help Kagome gather her things. Exhaling gustily, Kagome accepted the help and stood once everything was in her arms.

"It's just the third time I've dropped my stuff today," She admitted, already feeling guilty that she was even talking to the other woman. Her mother's disapproving gaze seemed to bear down on her back, making her skin crawl and her cheeks flush guiltily.

"Still shaky from last night?" The older female joked, running a hand through her unbound hair.

"Mom was in my room when I got home," She mumbled in return, blue eyes zeroing in on a spot on the tiled floor. Not surprised when her friend slung an arm over her shoulder, she allowed the contact and the comfort it offered.

"I'm sorry. Did you tell her?"

"No. I think she'd kill me if she found out I actually did anything with fire," Kagome sighed as they began walking down the hall. "She's just really disappointed."

"But isn't it your life? You've been killing yourself with studying and prep school your whole life just to make her secure. Isn't it time you do something for yourself? It's college after all, if you don't rebel a little now, you never will," Kujaku smiled, her arm squeezing Kagome's shoulder's gently.

"I don't know," Kagome hedged. "She's got a point. I don't want to be stuck living with her if something happens-"

"Who says you can't study and play? Life's all about balance."

"But it takes so much time-"

"Like other hobbies don't?"

Neither woman was willing to own up to the simple fact that the pack, as the troupe called themselves, were simply not the sort of crowd Nodoka wanted her daughter around. Even though Kagome tried to reason it out in her head and defend her friends, only three went to school with her, and only five besides her were in college at all. And all of them were different from everyone else, and didn't mind making it known. When Kujaku had shown up in ripped jeans and a shirt safetypinned together, it certainly hadn't sat well with the older Higurashi woman.

"We'll figure it out," Kujaku told her, squeezing her again when Kagome said nothing. "By the way, Ginta uploaded a video of your burn to the forum last night. Lots of compliments," She announced proudly, almost as if she had been the one to burn.

"Oh, so that's how he saw it," Kagome mused, remembering the tall stranger she'd bumped into earlier that day. Her sociology teacher had completely wiped any thought of him from her mind with her rather controversial lecture.

"He?" Kujaku asked, forehead creasing.

"Some guy on my way to class, one of the ones I bumped into. He said my burn was impressive," Kagome shrugged. "I felt like such an idiot, I was staring at his arm like a jerk and then he complimented me."

"His arm?"

"It was gone."

"You must mean Sesshoumaru. He's not like us," Kujaku fairly growled. "He thinks fire is just a cheap gimmick."

"Then why was he watching-"

"He has a troupe. Just because he looks down his nose at pyros doesn't mean he's not willing to use them. They do performances for pay," The older woman muttered. "Stay away from him. He'll just suck the joy out of it for you."

Sensing any further conversation about the stranger -Sesshoumaru, she corrected- would only make her friend more surly, she smiled brightly and nudged the woman in her side with her elbow.

"I told mom I had a study group tonight. I do need to grab a couple of books from the library, but I don't have to be home until later," She offered.

"Really?" Kujaku asked, visibly brightening. "Hey, we should grab Kouga and go get that beer! And you can watch the video."

"I'd like that," Kagome murmured, wondering what she looked like as she danced. She'd never seen video of her dancing at all, not even the traditional fan dances her mother had taught her, only pictures. In all of them she was smiling, but the lack of movement had made them boring and dull to her.

"You go get the books you need from the library, and I'll get Kouga. My car is parked on the second deck."

"I'll meet you there," Kagome assured her, already separating from her friend. Kujaku was waving and smiling brightly, and the younger student considered her friend's words.

A hobby was one thing. But dancing didn't feel like a hobby. If anything when she wasn't practicing, she was thinking about it. Or thinking about what her mother would say. In the last several months it had become an awful mobius strip, one inevitably following the other. Even though she gave her all in school, it wasn't the same. From the moment she'd seen the pack spinning and playing, she couldn't stop.

For awhile her mother had allowed it, thinking it was a novelty Kagome would get bored with. But she hadn't, and Nodoka had put her foot down when Kujaku had mentioned Kagome learning fire staff. To be fair, the older woman also disliked Kujaku, although why Kagome still couldn't completely understand. Despite all outward appearances, Kujaku was a student, and having to pay her own way meant she was very serious about her studies. Despite arguing in her friend's defense, Kagome hadn't been able to change her mother's opinion, something that still rankled.

Forcing herself to focus on the task at hand, she navigated the walkways of the campus, fairly ignoring everyone else as she made a beeline for the library. Once she reached it, she was surprised to see not only Sesshoumaru, but the other man she'd bumped into that day. The younger resembled Sesshoumaru enough that she guessed them to be related, cousins maybe. He was also muttering angrily, his finger stabbing the air as if trying to prove multiple points.

And they were blocking the doors.

Counting, she waited exactly two minutes before clearing her throat. The elder of the two looked at her as if he had known of her presence the whole time, and was only just now deigning to acknowledge her existence, which she felt she may have deserved for her earlier behavior. The younger of the two however, turned to snap at her angrily before his jaw went slack and the finger that had been thrusting at the air seconds before swung to her.

"You're her," He managed, pale hazel eyes widening comically.

"Umm, I guess?" She ventured, uncomfortable under such intense regard. "I need to get into the library, please," She finished, trying not to make eye contact with the man she now knew to be Sesshoumaru. Despite her best efforts, she looked up at his face and saw him staring down at her intently. Blushing, she was trying to formulate an apology for her earlier behavior when the rude stranger from earlier stopped her.

"You were the girl from the video! I've been trying to figure out who you were, and here you are! Awesome!" Inu Yasha smirked. "Must be fate-"

"You ran into me earlier," She retorted, something about the other man setting her one edge. "So you must not have been looking very hard."

"That was you?" He exclaimed, shock shifting into bewilderment. "And you ran into me," He added, seconds too late to sound anything but petulant.

"Look, I need to get into the library. Could you guys please move?" She asked plaintively, looking pointedly at the doors.

"No way, the books can wait. You totally have to come to practice-" Inu Yasha started, but stopped when Sesshoumaru moved to the side, his face an impassive mask.

"Thanks," Kagome sighed gratefully. "And, I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to stare, it just took me off guard," She blurted before darting past him and jerking open the door to the library. Relief washed over her when neither of them moved to follow., although she could hear the rude one shouting at Sesshoumaru.

Resolving to ignore them and forget their existence, especially after Kujaku's warning, she made for the stairs and began climbing, determined to get the books she needed. But once she had found the mythology section, the book she had been searching for proved impossible to find.

"Oh come on!" She muttered. "I can't possibly have this much bad luck."

"You are looking for the Percival Lowell book?" A voice interrupted, and she looked to the ceiling, wondering what she had done to anger the gods lately. Maybe it was lying to her mother, after all, one was supposed to respect their parents above all else. Perhaps she should just-

"I checked out the last copy," Sesshoumaru informed her, tone curiously blank. She turned and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"How did you know?" She demanded.

"You have the same class as I. The professor based her lecture on the volume. It is easiest to argue something when you have the source."

"And you're telling me because-?"

"I will consider sharing it-"

"Sharing?" Kagome sputtered angrily, glaring up at him, only to find she was further annoyed by how far back she had to crane her neck.

"Yes, sharing it. As in, we can study together. If you consent to one practice session with me."

"Practice se- Oh you PERVERT!" She shouted, pushing past him angrily, not even caring how rude she seemed to him anymore or how much noise she made in the quiet library. The disgusted noise he made gave her pause, and she wasn't sure if she should feel insulted or stupid.

"You do not know how to use the fan. I can show you."

She settled for insulted.

Spinning on her heel, a smile on her face, she prayed she wouldn't chip a tooth from her jaws clenching so tightly.

"I know how to dance with fans just fine."

"Not like you want," He goaded, brow raised and a smirk tugging the corner of his mouth.

"And I suppose you can read my mind and tell me just what I want to dance like," She bit out, crossing her arms over her chest angrily.

"You don't want to move like some timid little geisha," He countered, his smirk growing and pale hazel eyes flashing victoriously when she shrugged sullenly. "I've trained with the tessen. I can show you how warriors use one."

"It's just a hobby," She muttered, moving to turn away again. When she suddenly felt something tugging on her pants, her hand flew to her pocket, two seconds too late to stop him. Her phone was in his hand and he flipped it open expertly.

"What is wrong with you?" She hissed.

"I'm giving you my number, in case you reconsider," He informed her tonelessly as he typed a number in and shut the phone, tossing it back to her. She caught, fumbling for a second while he walked past.

"I can get the stupid book somewhere else," The raven haired girl flung at his retreating back, stamping her foot for effect. When he merely disappeared from view, she threw her hands in the air and released an exasperated snarl before stalking form the bookshelf, not even caring about her paper or the other book she had wanted to search for.

So angry was she that she barely even took note of the two men standing outside of the library, one smirking smugly and the other watching with a slightly horrified expression. Her pace was a fast, clipped walk and got her to the parking deck in almost no time at all.

"Hey!" Kujaku called, her arm waving Kagome over. Kouga was staring with wide eyes as Kagome made her way over to them.

"What happened to you?" He asked, watching her throw her bag into the front floorboard angrily.

"Just some jerk at the library," She grunted as she plopped into the seat, staring resolutely forward. The two rather bewildered friends still standing outside of the car shrugged helplessly at one another before getting in, not pressing the irate onna for details.

* * *

"You did what?" Inu Yasha demanded angrily. "Are you out of your mind? She'll never do it now. Especially not to share some stupid book she could get somewhere else!"

Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes. His half brother had the strategic abilities of a stone, perhaps even less. The book itself wasn't even relevant, merely a way to open conversation. He had guessed -correctly- that appealing to her abilities would be the best way to get to her. No matter how much she denied his guess, he knew it to be true. He supposed she had been taught the graceful steps that good little girls were taught, perhaps even some of the advanced dances. But none of them could come close to the performance she had attempted. The styles were so obviously different it was laughable to compare them.

But tessenjutsu could get her closer to her goal. A warrior's style was much more suited to her attempts. He had planted a seed and would give it time to grow. It wouldn't take long, she seemed impulsive to a fault. It would work for him now, although he made note to watch for it working against him in the future. He had no use for an impulsive airhead, as most self proclaimed pyros tended to be.

"I thought you didn't want her," Inu Yasha prompted.

He hadn't but then he'd met her, and he had trouble linking the girl in the video to the girl he had seen in real life. Training her would give him something to do besides study and brood and work the troupe. And an extra training would only strengthen him after his accident, despite the fact that she was a weak female. Even if she never made it to a public performance, she would be a welcome distraction.

"She will call. Leave her alone until she does," Sesshoumaru rumbled, moving away from the family bastard.

"You heading home?" Inu Yasha demanded.

"I have a paper to finish."

"Can you drop me off at Miroku's? I need to talk to him about this."

"Take a bus."

It was a small vindictive pleasure, but he smirked when his sibling began cursing behind him, heaping one epithet after another on his head. None of them bothered him, and soon he was out of range of the younger Taisho's howling. Thankfully the sidewalks on the campus were wonderfully empty, and it felt like the skies would open up any second and pour rain down on the world.

Not wanting to get his things wet, he started jogging, surprised when he saw a dilapidated, ugly purple vehicle pulling out, the little onna he had been speaking to only minutes earlier in the front seat, glaring at the dashboard as if it had done something to mortally offend her.

Thunder echoed, and he darted into the parking deck, noticing the first drops of rain beginning to hit the ground, their pattering bringing with the the strange peace he always felt when he heard it. The pattering soon turned to the machine gun fire, and he smiled when he thought of his sibling running to the bus stop and waiting.

Pulling his keys from his pocket, he looked at the ramshackle little car that was not much better than the one the onna had been riding in. He was amazed that it had cost so much for the heap it was, although it worked soundly, and thus far hadn't given him any problems.

Throwing his bag into the vehicle, he got in, slamming the door shut. The engine turned over on the first try, something he still thought of as a miracle, and he began to navigate his way into the rain and towards his apartment.

Six months. He considered how much his life had changed in such a short period of time and wondered what his father thought of it, or if he was even aware. Surely the great CEO of Taisho Corporations would be aware of his son's movements, as laughable as they were.

Cursing his younger brother again, he paused for a red light and considered the bastard. They'd never gotten along, probably never would. But coexisting had become a requirement of inheriting, and when that hadn't proven enough to calm intense hatred into something cooler, more civil, the supposedly wise, generous, caring father had done the unthinkable.

In the span of a week, Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha had been stripped of everything. Their bank accounts had been frozen, having been provided by their father to begin with. Their cars had been taken away. And they'd been kicked out of their family seat and given enough money to 'get a start' as the old man had told them. And a list of rules.

The light turned green, and he puttered along in traffic, mind half on the road and the other half allowing himself to remember the hellish experience that had led him to his current impasse.

One was they had to live together for a year. Where didn't matter, and the Taisho patriarch hadn't seemed to care about it. And they had to work together for one year. If they couldn't do both of those things, they would remain cut off from their family, wealth, and the company. It had been the single most humiliating moment of Sesshoumaru's life, and he had spent the first three days in his girlfriend's apartment. Until she had come to the revelation that he no longer had money, and so was useless to her.

Inu Yasha had been staying with a friend from school, and it had taken him a week to set aside his pride and approach the foul mouthed idiot with a proposition. They had enough for an apartment. Certainly not enough for a good apartment, not if they took living expenses into account, but enough for something with two bedrooms.

Inu Yasha had agreed, already missing the luxuries he had indulged in since birth. The next step had been much harder, and their father, in all of his wisdom and foresight, had not made it any easier. Nor had the reputation the siblings had built over the years. Because of their intense loathing for one another, they had attended different dojo over the years, and the single match they had fought had gotten them both banned from future competitions. No dojo would hire them, despite their abilities and training. Not together anyway.

Both refused to lower themselves to working something menial, like waiting tables or fast food, but they didn't have the skills to do anything besides temp themselves out for clerical work, and they couldn't find a place that would hire the both of them.

Sesshoumaru knew what his father had been planning, and had wanted to avoid it desperately, but there had been no other alternatives. He told Inu Yasha they would have to start their own business, which had presented a thousand new obstacles. They had no start up capital, no building, nothing. Trying to use their name for a loan had only gotten dry chuckles, their father's disfavor being a matter of public record.

And then Inu Yasha's 'brilliant' idea. Sesshoumaru had -for once- agreed with his brother on something. If they tried, even for awhile, their father would probably give in and bring them back into the fold. Especially if his sons were doing something they had considered beneath them. Even though the proposal had made him almost physically ill, Sesshoumaru had agreed.

His father would be shamed if he knew his sons had sunk so low. They ranked a league below actors, or even geisha and kabuki players. Instead, he was on par with someone from a circus, and he had only managed to follow through with it by keeping in mind that his sire would see his efforts and end the 'lesson' early.

He had been wrong. So incredibly wrong that it still made him hot with shame. Listening to Inu Yasha's friend had been the catalyst for the only real mistakes he had ever made. Miroku had proven to have a good idea of how one gathered a group and his ability to find them work was nothing short of miraculous. Before the money from their father had run out, they had been making it back.

But he had tarnished his love of history and war by turning it into a cheap theatrical thrill for people who knew nothing about it's realities. In a word, he had bastardized something he loved for profit. It was with a sense of bitterness that he knew his own view of the sword was altered, colored by his experiences.

The troupe he had allowed to form under Miroku's suggestion had been amazing. Most had some form of actual training with weapons, which had made for a good team. But reenactments hadn't been enough to pay for food, so they'd branched out, learning new gimmicks that were easy and appealed to the audience.

It was only when they had recruited Naraku that things had gone downhill. Miroku had used his own contacts in the scene to find people willing to devote the time to their 'hobby' and make money from it. The answers had been few and far between. Few wanted to work for Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha given the latter's temper and the former's icy reserve, and of those few, not many were good enough to actually get paid for what they were offering. When Naraku had shown up, Miroku had admitted he had reservations, but that they needed the people. Naraku was a natural showman, and despite the group's misgivings, they had been able to eat well and even save enough for a car in those first two months.

He would never know if the accident had been intentional or not, although there had been problems in the week prior to the disaster. None of them had seemed important enough to justify what had happened, although the results were hard to deny.

A week in a hospital, hoping for deliverance from the hell his life had become. Nothing had come of that hope. Signing himself out, much to the doctor's displeasure, he had dutifully followed through with dressing his wound and acclimating to life. A prosthetic had been out of the question. Not only did the sight of one disturb him more than no limb at all, but he couldn't afford it, and his father had proven to be more of an ass than Sesshoumaru had considered. The only acknowledgment his injury had gotten was that the school had been receiving their tuition and all debt to the hospital had vanished overnight.

He pulled into the parking deck for his apartment complex and grabbed his bag, slamming the car door shut with his hip. The rain was still beating down on the earth angrily, and he savored the scent that always accompanied it. Rarely did the city smell clean, especially the part he lived in. His thoughts continued as he climbed up eight flights of stairs, forgoing the sometimes operable elevator completely.

Within two months his wound was fully healed and he was able to do almost everything he had before. Even swordplay had not proven to be a huge problem, given his determination. Only small things eluded him, like key cards and drying his hair.

Sex and dating were completely out of the question. Even before the accident he hadn't been able to find time to date, keeping his encounters casual and attachment free. Without his arm, those were denied him. No one wanted a one night stand with someone they considered disabled or flawed.

Once word had spread that their troupe sported a one armed swordsman, like something out of a movie, their popularity had only increased. Which he supposed was just as well. Other troupes were following his own's example and setting themselves up as more than just 'circus performers' although Sesshoumaru knew none had the extensive training he and his own troupe did.

His front door seemed to be laughing at him as he fumbled with his key.

Six humbling, angry months. Only six more to go.

* * *

Kagome looked at the book in front of her, then back at her phone. The public library had a copy of both books she had been looking for, solving that problem neatly. It was the number in her phone that had become the problem. She knew she should just delete it and get rid of the temptation. She was already treading on really thin ice with her mother, and she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep lying. Adding any sort of training would only compound the lie, not to mention take more time in her schedule that she should be devoting to school.

For the hundredth time since Kujaku had dropped her off, she opened the phone and scrolled through the numbers. 'Sesshoumaru Kukishin' glowed back at her. She hit different buttons and the delete option came up.

"I should just forget about him. He's a jerk anyway," She growled, remembering Kujaku's warning. She had warned Kagome away from accepting a job though, not lessons. And Kagome wasn't sure anyone could take the joy out of dancing, no matter how convinced the older woman had seemed.

Her finger hovered over the button.

She stared.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," She sighed, backing out of the delete option and hitting the call button. The phone rang three times before someone answered.

"Hello?" She ventured when the other end was silent.

"Kukishin speaking."

"This is Kagome, the girl from the library," She offered tentatively, wondering if he'd already forgotten.

"Have you reconsidered?"

Why did his voice sound so much better over the phone? Maybe because it wasn't accompanied by that smug smirk or sneer. Trying not to think about that smirk, she inhaled deeply.

"I don't need the book anymore."

"Then-"

"But I would like a study partner," She blurted, feeling like an idiot even as she said it.

The phone was silent for a full minute, and Kagome wondered if she had lost signal. Just as she was readying to hang up, she heard a smooth chuckle over the line and had to repress a shiver.

"I agree to your terms. I don't have class until Friday, and I prefer staying off campus when I can. Where would you like to study? My apartment is available."

"My house," She squeaked determinedly, then palmed her forehead when she realized how absurd she sounded. Taking a deep breath she continued, hoping she didn't sound too much like a hopeless idiot. "I'm off tomorrow as well. If you don't mind my mom fawning over you a bit, we can study here over lunch."

"That sounds acceptable. Where do you live?"

Kagome rattled off the address, hearing a satisfied hum over the line.

"It's a shrine, but the house is next to it. Call if you get lost, or I can meet you at the train station," She offered.

"I have a car, and I can find my way," He assured her, and she rolled her eyes at his tone. "What time?"

"Eleven or noon should be fine."

"I'll see you tomorrow at eleven."

The line went dead, and she pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it, wondering if she had really just gone through with it.

Her mother was going to be...less than pleased when she set eyes on her choice of study partner. But hopefully, his missing arm would curtail any suspicion that he was involved with the performers in any way, which would be the biggest plus. As long as he didn't mention anything around her mother, she should be fine. Not to mention they'd be studying downstairs, her mother wouldn't allow for anything else.

Steeling herself, she closed her phone and left her room, making for the kitchen where her mother was putting away dishes.

"Hello dear," Nodoka greeted, not even looking at her daughter as she put dishes away.

"Hey mom. I have a study partner coming tomorrow for lunch. Is there any way I could persuade you into making something. I would, but well, you know me in the kitchen," She chuckled desperately, hoping her mother wouldn't ask the normal things. Like who she'd be studying with.

"Oh, that's good. Who is it? Anyone I know?"

"No, just another student I met at the library."

"What's her name?"

A pregnant pause seemed to ehco in the kitchen, and Nodoka turned from the cabinets and stared Kagome down.

"Name?"

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome offered weakly, knowing what was coming.

"Kagome, you know I don't approve of male-"

"We'll study at the dining room table," She interrupted. "Mom, it's not a problem. I don't like him and he doesn't like me. It's just a tedious paper. We're not even in the same class, he just checked the book I needed out before me and offered before I got a copy and I figured since we both had to do it, might as well have a different perspective."

The words were rushed and slightly forced, and Kagome prayed to every kami that had ever even looked at the shrine to grant her a reprieve from her currently rotten luck.

"Alright, but you have to stay downstairs."

Prayer answered. She tried to keep from releasing her breath and settled for nodding and thanking her mom quietly before heading back to her room. One problem had been solved, at least for the moment. Despite wanting to relax, she felt that another loomed and it pressed down on her as she walked up the stairs and into her room, closing the door behind her softly.

Falling onto her bed, she buried her face into her pillow and screamed.

* * *

Sesshoumaru looked at his laptop and the halfway completed paper waiting in his word processor. Saving it, he decided to close the computer and set it on his nightstand. Already his mind was going through the forms he had been taught as a teenager. Content that he had forgotten nothing he stretched lazily and smiled.

The woman had responded more quickly than even he had anticipated. He wondered if perhaps he had misjudged her. Either she was more driven than he thought, or more impulsive. Hoping for the former, but expecting the latter, he stood and left his room, hearing his younger brother in the kitchen rummaging around for food.

"What do you want?" The younger of the brothers growled, not even looking behind him, instead continuing to poke around the fridge, shuffling takeout containers around.

"She called me back."

Sesshoumaru tried not to feel insulted when Inu Yasha jerked so violently he hit his head on the roof of the refrigerator. He turned, rubbing the sore spot sullenly, glaring at his older brother.

"For real?"

Sesshoumaru nodded, unable to completely hide the smirk that insisted on making itself known.

"And?"

"She doesn't need the book, but she does want a study partner."

It was so difficult to keep from gloating in the face of the other man's shock.

"And?"

"It is enough for now. I will assess her abilities tomorrow."

With that, he spun on his heel and went back to his room, allowing himself to indulge the rare treat of anticipation.

* * *

A/N: Every year for con I tell myself I'm not going to drink with the Browncoats again, and every year I end up a liar (so worth it though, Browncoats are the best at Queen karaoke and conga lines). Sorry this is late. D*Con takes up a special part of my year. And soul. Probably braincells too. I finally suckered Mana into promising me we'd do Sess/Kag costumes next year for the lulz.

I'm such an awful person.

PS-This chapter's title is supplied by the song 'Lost in Vagueness' by Maxi Valvona. Last week's chapter was 'Shadows the Sun' by Julian Vincent ft Jessie Morgan, both are the original mixes. Both are beautiful trance songs. Due to my inordinate love of the beepbeepbeep music and the fact that it is my favorite to spin to, all chapter titles will be titled with trance songs, because I just feel like it.


	3. Liberate

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 3: Liberate**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the rights to Inu Yasha and Co, Signum or their music, nor Percival Lowell's book Occult Japan.

* * *

Kagome found any excuse she could to be outside that morning. Already doubting the wisdom of her decision, she took her time sweeping the shrine steps so she could catch her guest and warn him not to mention anything having to do with the tessen or fire around her mother.

She also worried about Kujaku finding out. Not that the pyro came near her house anymore, not since her mother had forbidden contact between the two. But her friend's warning rang in her head, and she wondered what could have driven the normally cheerful, if somewhat gruff, woman to dislike the man so much.

She was halfway done with the steps when she saw him walking up the sidewalk, and she rushed down, so intent on warning him that she her feet tangled in the broom she was holding. Anticipating not only the sudden solid landing, but also looking up to his smirk, she was surprised when she opened her eyes to blinding white. Blinking once, she pulled back and realized she'd fallen face first into his chest.

"How is it you didn't set yourself on fire when you can barely walk?" He sighed as she pulled back, her face red hot with mortification.

"I'm sorry, it was actually because of that that I rushed. I mean, please don't mention that to my mother. She doesn't approve of me doing anything like that. She just thinks you're a study partner."

His light hazel eyes narrowed as he stared her down, and for a moment she was afraid he would turn and leave. Maybe he thought her childish for lying to her mother, or refused to help her lie, or just thought it was too much trouble. Instead, he gave a one shouldered shrug.

"Martial arts are a form of study. It will not be a lie."

Releasing a held breath, she smiled and nodded thankfully. "Thanks for not telling."

He shrugged indifferently and began walking up the stairs. Wondering if his main methods of communication were grunts and glares, she held back a groan, feeling more and more foolish for even thinking it was a good idea. She picked up the broom and followed, searching for the most polite way to tell him that her mother was going to be civil to him, which was nothing like nice, or even polite. Before she could however, they were at the top of the steps, and her mother was waiting, eyes wide.

"Mama, this is Sesshoumaru Kukishin, the study partner I told you about," She offered, nervous tension making her want to throw up. Her mother's dark brown eyes flicked from Sesshoumaru's face to the shirt sleeve that ended an inch before the limb did.

"Hello, Sesshoumaru-san, it's very nice to meet you," Nodoka said with a smile, and Kagome was surprised to see that it was genuine and not forced. "Kagome said you both met yesterday?"

"Yes ma'am," He replied calmly, although his voice held an edge. Kagome briefly imagined pushing him down the stairs they had just climbed up.

"That's nice. I'm preparing lunch. I'll leave you two to your studies," Her mother finished, turning and walking back towards the house. Sesshoumaru began following, but stopped when he noticed Kagome hadn't joined him.

"Are you coming?" He demanded, slightly amused by her pole axed expression.

"Mom's never like that when a boy comes over, not unless it's one of Souta's friends," She confessed, still confused by her mother's warm reception of the male.

"I'm not a potential hazard to your chastity," He answered plainly. Kagome immediately looked offended.

"What, am I not good enough?" She demanded hotly.

Sesshoumaru paused, wondering if she was just trying to make him feel better out of pity, as others had. But when her expression didn't change, he smirked smugly.

"This Sesshoumaru is a beautiful specimen," He mocked.

"You're a jerk," Kagome muttered, stalking past him and towards her home. Following, he shook his head, amazed that she hadn't caught on to his sarcasm. He knew she was aware of his arm, had been one of the few to apologize for staring at it, which implied she was far more honest than most. Surely it occurred to her that her mother couldn't imagine her daughter being attracted to him, no matter how flawless he was otherwise. No one could be that oblivious.

Choosing to ignore the question in lieu of dealing with the study session, he continued smirking as she held the door open for him. Still sulking slightly, she said nothing while he looked around the house, slightly surprised by what he saw.

Their university was not cheap, and boasted only the best and brightest. The only reason he was still able to attend was his father's generosity, such as it was. The house didn't reek of money, or even luxury. It was simple. Kagome led him into a dining room which already had a stack of papers and books on it.

He folded his legs beneath him and opened his bag, pulling his laptop out and setting it gently on the surface. The book followed, and he noticed Kagome watching with thinly veiled curiosity. Quirking his brow, she noticed him noticing her and blushed hotly before averting her eyes.

"Where did you want to start?" He finally asked, breaking the tense silence.

"She wants us to either argue or agree. I'm still not sure which one I'm going with," She admitted.

"You have problems defending your culture?" He demanded incredulously.

"Half my culture. My father was English, although they're hardly better," She sighed. "I can understand the point the she was trying to make, but I feel like the author connected the wrong dots somehow."

"He's saying that because our mythology states we came from the gods, we think we're a superior race," Sesshoumaru snorted. "Leading us to embroil ourselves in wars we are destined to lose. He makes us out to be little better than the nazis."

"We were their allies," Kagome pointed out. "But that's besides the point. Every country believes themselves superior."

"But only we claim to be descended from gods."

"Untrue," She argued. "Plenty of people believe that all over the world. And if they don't believe they're descendents, then they believe they were made in his image, which is almost the same thing. Every religion believes itself superior, and since religion is such a huge influence over people, it bleeds into their politics and patriotism."

Sesshoumaru considered her words, nodding carefully.

"I think Japan has a beautiful, vivid history and a rich culture that involves these myths. Do I think that our mentality has been influenced them? No, I think the stories have changed with the times just like we have. What we find in them is different, just as it was fifty years ago and a hundred. I think it's what makes the difference."

Her point was a valid one, and he grasped it immediately, surprised by the unique perspective. It was an angle he had not considered. Admitting part of it was his own defensiveness from the seeming attack his professor had heaped on his culture and country, he relaxed and listened to the onna speaking, every once in awhile her pen scratching over paper as she wrote something down.

She had an agile mind, one that had no trouble making intuitive leaps and finding ways to create a solid bridge between two points, and the more she talked the more he was drawn in. Designating himself her devil's advocate, he pointed out holes in her theory, and she would pause each time and consider his words. Even more telling, he could see her weighing her own words carefully before answering.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," Nodoka said, poking her head into the dining room with a smile.

"No, it's fine mom," Kagome said, not even looking up from what she was writing. Sesshoumaru saw Nodoka smiling as she took in the sight of her daughter working so hard and only nodded when she turned to him.

"I've made curry, I hope that's alright," The older woman announced as she sat down two plates. "I've got some dango steaming as well for dessert."

"Thanks mom," Kagome said, eyes still on her paper and hand reaching for her fork absentmindedly. Sesshoumaru was surprised her mother didn't seem bothered by her daughter's rudeness. Inexplicably, she actually seemed happy with it.

"Your mother is strange," He commented once the woman was gone. His own father would never had accepted such disrespect so blithely.

"She's just happy I'm studying instead of-" She stopped, and immediately he could see her expression darken. "Anyway, I'm studying."

Nodding, beginning to get a better picture of the young woman, he ate his curry and rice and listened as she talked. Sometimes she would speak with food in her mouth -a habit he detested in all people-, although she at least had the presence of mind to cover her mouth when she did, for which he was grateful. Instead of answering, he contented himself with listening and enjoying the curry. The last time he had enjoyed food prepared at home had been before he'd been cut off. No matter what else he got from his mother, Inu Yasha had not inherited her cooking skills. And he had never learned to work a stove. Inu Yasha ate ramen constantly, and he contented himself with eating out or simple steamed meals from a rice cooker.

Once he was finished, he continued listening, finding himself won over to her point of view. Briefly he considered rewriting his whole report, then shot the idea down. It would sound too much like her own, and he didn't want to be accused of plagiarism by a professor that stole her lecture almost word for word from a dead author.

Nodoka only interrupted twice more, once to bring in a plate of steamed dumplings which were filled with lotus root, which was a pleasant surprise, and once again to take the empty plates. Both times she seemed content with Kagome's obliviousness and Sesshoumaru's stony silence. They'd been working for the better part of three hours when she rubbed her eyes tiredly. He closed his laptop and cleared his throat. She jerked back as if surprised he was there and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"We have to go to the library. Donner-sensei wants us to have at least three resources," He intoned, brow raised to indicate his subterfuge. Kagome nodded wearily, and he wasn't even sure she realized he was helping her lie to her mother.

"Mom, we've go to go to the library," She called out.

"Alright dear. Just call and let me know if you'll be in late!" Nodoka called from the kitchen.

"I suggest you go grab your props," He advised quietly. For a moment she stared at him, and then the first true smile he'd seen since meeting her spread her lips wide, and her blue eyes widened with excitement. The transformation was nothing short of miraculous, and it startled him enough to keep him from saying anything when she flew from the table and out of the room. He packed up his laptop and book.

"Thank you for helping her, Sesshoumaru-san. She's needed a good, focused study buddy," Nodoka said from the kitchen entrance as he was zipping the bag. He nodded once.

"I am nothing if not focused," He replied, not bothering to welcome her. He could misdirect with the best of them, having learned from both of his parents. But he drew the line at directly lying to the woman. That he would let the onna handle. Nodoka seemed satisfied by his answer and inclined her head slightly before leaving the room. Kagome stumbled in, bag slung carelessly over her shoulder. Her cheeks were red with excitement and she pulled the mess of papers into a stack and slipped them into the book's cover before tucking it all in the crook of her arm.

She had absolutely no head for lying, which begged the question of why she tried. He allowed her to lead him out, smirking as she practically skipped out of the house and down the stone walkway to the steps leading to the street.

"Come on!" She urged impatiently.

"Why do you lie to your mother?" He asked as they began moving down the stairs. When she said nothing, he glanced over to her, surprised by the thoughtful expression on her face.

"I don't like to," She finally admitted. "But there's no way around it for now. Mom got married when she was eighteen and had me almost immediately afterward, so she never even went to college. After my brother was born, my dad was in a car accident and died. He was the one who worked, so when he died there wasn't enough to keep the house. Mom was forced to move back in with grandpa. She doesn't mind it," She added hastily. "She just doesn't want me in that sort of situation, so when I start paying attention to something besides my studies, she reminds me of how hard her life has been."

"You're exaggerating," He accused, wondering if she wasn't just another whining child that was trying to rebel.

"Nope. I'd say you could ask my friends, but I didn't have time for those growing up. Mom had me attending prep schools almost as soon as my dad died. I only recently started making friends at college, and I've been going for two years," She explained, shrugging uncomfortably.

The pressure itself wasn't abnormal to Sesshoumaru, nor was the cause. The extent of it however...If the onna was telling the truth, her mother had essentially inserted a window between her and the rest of the world. She walked side by side to the people in it, but didn't truly interact.

"Kujaku saw me playing with my fans one day, not the ones I have now, just regular fans for dance. Mom taught me, and it was one of the few physical outlets that didn't bother her. But Kujaku said I had potential for dancing. I didn't know it had anything to do with fire, but a few days later she took me to one of the pack's gatherings, and it was pretty much love at first sight."

He continued walking towards a local parking lot and she followed.

"It does not explain why you are lying," He prompted.

"Mom saw how much interest I had and how much time I was devoting to it. Around that time I got a C on one of my papers and she said I was losing focus and hanging out with the wrong crowd. I tried to stay away, but I kept practicing. After awhile I just couldn't help myself. I want to create beauty like they do."

He barely managed to hold in the derisive noise trying to escape. He found little of what the pack or most self labeled pyros did beautiful. Their movements were simple enough, and without the benefit of fire they were even more lackluster. Most were just adrenaline junkies that got their fix from swinging fire around, and the rest were trying to fill a void in their personalities, make themselves more edgy or attractive.

They reached his car in relative silence, and he got in reaching over awkwardly to unlock her door. She slid in easily, not even seeming to notice it's dilapidated state. He remembered the heap she had been riding around in and assumed she was used to riding around in such eyesores.

"Where are we going?" She finally asked.

"There is a park near my home. It will suit our purposes," He told her. She nodded mutely, fingers dancing over her bag nervously.

"So how did you get into burning?" She asked, and he tried not to flinch at her choice of words.

"Little choice. My half brother and I lacked money. We've both trained in different forms of martial arts since childhood. It seemed the easiest way," He answered, skirting the whole truth. Only he and Inu Yasha know the true extent of his father's will, and he intended to keep it that way, no matter how forthcoming the woman in his passenger seat chose to be.

"You have a brother?" She asked, obviously curious. Latching onto the safe topic, he smirked.

"Half. The rude one I was speaking to in front of the library."

"Oh, I thought you guys were related, but I thought you were cousins. Funny. I bumped into both of you in one day. Is he as rude as you?"

"Only when he tries to be charming."

"I shudder to think of you trying to be charming," She murmured, shivering for effect. Despite himself he found her candid honesty refreshing. Much better than women fawning over him or people stumbling over themselves in an attempt to keep from referring to his arm.

"I do not try."

"Let me guess, you succeed," She retorted dryly, rolling her eyes as she did so.

"I have no need to attempt such."

Her expression and silence were enough to make divulging the information worth it. The rest of the car ride was quiet, and the radio was broken, giving only static when she tried to coax something from it. She didn't ask any more questions, and he didn't inquire into her circumstances again, satisfied with her answer.

He was bothered by her mother's repressive tendencies. It was a wonder the girl hadn't rebelled sooner and in a more drastic fashion. Such restrictions on a person would only serve to suffocate them. Japan was filled with psychiatric recovery centers for those who endured those sort of mental and emotional conditions only to fail. He spared a glance for his passenger and allowed himself to be slightly impressed. She had survived high school and two years of college seemingly none worse for the wear. And she was rebelling, so she wasn't a mindless parrot that took in information and repeated it on command.

He forced himself to keep his expectations low. She could very well be dabbling for the danger of it before announcing her chosen academic major at the end of the year with the rest of the second year students.

* * *

Kagome slipped out of the car, her bag clutched tightly in her hands. The park was filled with children, and she wondered where she and Sesshoumaru would be practicing. She hoped it was somewhere relatively private. The idea of an audience unnerved her, numbing her fingers. When Sesshoumaru began walking to a relatively flat area of the grass, she followed, apprehension growing.

Why was he really doing this? It was one thing she had avoided asking, too eager to learn more to question motive. But now that the field loomed, anxiety began to eat at her.

"Take out one of your fans," He commanded once he stopped. With trembling fingers she dug through her bag and pulled one of the fans out. He held his hand out and she handed it over reluctantly, watching him inspect it. He snapped it open and turned it, then tossed it in the air, catching it with practiced grace.

"Who made this?"

"A swordsmith."

"His name."

"Totosai. A really nice-"

"Senile fool," Sesshoumaru bit out. Kagome flinched at the condemnation in his tone and guessed he found the work sub par. "He has a singular talent for smithing. It is well made."

"Oh," She mumbled, unsure if he was angry she had gone to Totosai or if he was just being his normal rude self. Before she could ask, he snapped the fan shut and tossed it at her.

"Begin," He commanded, and she stared at him dumbly. What was she supposed to do?

"Just begin moving," He growled, sensing her hesitation.

Her mind blanked, and her routines and tricks deserted her. She began fumbling under his intense gaze, feeling more and more awkward. The use of a single fan was disconcerting enough, but she could also feel his disapproving gaze bearing down on her. He made an impatient noise and the fan fell from her fingers, falling with a heavy thud to the ground. Tears stung her eyes and she blinked rapidly to try and clear them.

"Pick it up," He commanded stonily, eyes blank. Kagome bent and picked the fan back up, closing it carefully, as if it would suddenly break.

"Start again."

She snapped open the fan and gasped when it flew from nerveless fingers and into his chest. He didn't even bother to move, but the white of his shirt was smudged with black spots from the remnants of burnt kerosine as the kelvar brushed against him. For several seconds he did nothing, merely stared at her with a mixture of contempt and and disbelief. Then he bent to pick it up and closed it in his fist.

"It is a wonder you haven't set fire to your surroundings," He remarked coolly. Kagome sniffed, feeling more like an idiot than she ever had in front of the pack.

"Get your other fan," He sighed, looking like he wanted to run a hand through his long hair or pinch his nose. Kagome complied, going to her bag and pulling the other fan out. She straightened and was moving to retrieve the other fan from him, hoping he'd let her go back to the more familiar style of two fans.

When he moved into position, his legs spread apart and bending at the knee, she instinctively followed, understanding what he was silently telling her to do. When she had satisfied herself that she was imitating him perfectly, she looked to him.

"Knees further apart and less bent," He intoned, not even looking at her. Flushing slightly, she obeyed his command, then looked at him again.

He snapped the fan in his hand open, and she mimicked him, startled when he shook his head.

"The motion of your wrist is wrong. You risk causing injury," He informed her as he broke position and moved closer to her, closing the fan in his fist. She watched as he snapped it open, the motion so fast she could barely catch it. Sensing her confusion, he closed it and flicked his wrist, opening it once more.

She closed her own fan and tried. And tried. And tried. On the seventh attempt, she got it right. And he made her repeat the motion a dozen more times before moving back into position, fan closed. Relief crashed through her when he didn't correct her posture, and he snapped the fan open and she followed suit. His arm swept in an arc and he turned, then resumed his original pose.

She swept her arm in the wide arc he had, and immediately stopped when he made another disapproving noise.

"What?" She snapped, beginning to lose patience. He swept his arm in a tall arc over his body and brought it back around. She imitated it. He did it again. She repeated the motion.

"Better," He sighed.

"How am I supposed to do it then?" She growled, face red and thighs already burning from the slightly bent angle of her knees. He came over to her and grabbed her arm, moving it in an approximation of his own. The fan was pressed between his palm and her forearm, pinching the flesh and leaving dark, sooty smudges near her wrist. The touch was strangely invasive, making her heart stumble for a moment.

"Like this," He said sternly, bringing her back to the present. Flustered, she allowed her arm to be moved again and again. After half a dozen times, he moved back and nodded. She started in the original position and opened her fan open, then swept her arm in a tall arc as she turned.

"Your legwork is sloppy," He commented in an offhand manner.

"Well excuse me!" She finally snapped angrily. "Not everyone is the reincarnation of a feudal overlord!"

"I would hardly have settled for overlord," He scoffed haughtily, wishing he could cross his arms.

"Fine, you were a prince, oh mighty one," She bit out, trying the spin again and still coming up short.

"You're moving too wildly. You have to control your movements."

"I'm not trying to be a meek little dancer," Kagome shot out as she tried turning again.

"You will learn how to move within the confines of the kata, and then you may do as you please. But right now you are graceless, clumsy, and uninspired," He barked, aiming for the points he hoped would shock her into obedience. Instead, she stopped and stared at him angrily, then walked forward and snatched her fan from his hand before grabbing her bag and walking away. As she stuffed the fans into the bag he could hear her cursing darkly, the noise loud enough to carry over the yelling of playing children in the background.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he considered his neighborhood. Not the best or safest by any stretch of the imagination. No matter how much she might deserve a good scare, she didn't deserve any of the other things that could easily happen to her if she took off on her own.

"Wait," He called out, and she paused, turning to look at him. Fury still made her blue eyes dark and he began walking towards her, gauging the time from the sun.

"We'll go to my apartment. I have some books that will help," He bit out. Immediately her fury turned to suspicion and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes again.

"Why are you doing this?" She finally asked, back still ramrod straight and hand clenched on the bag in her hands.

"Because I'm bored," He admitted.

"So I should listen to you be a complete jerk because you're bored?" She demanded flatly, anger building back up.

"Because I can teach you. I am not nice, nor will I ever be. It is up to you to decide what is worth enduring to get what you want."

His words stopped her, and tense shoulders slumped.

"Fine," She sighed, shrugging. He didn't even acknowledge her acceptance, choosing to walk past her towards his car. Hearing her follow, he felt slightly encouraged. Sloppiness aside, she had potential, and she proved to be a quick study. If he could get her to find the grace in the movements she considered confining, she would probably be able to put on a good show of fighting against a sword in no time at all.

She plopped noisily into the passenger seat and slammed the door, then crossed her arms, ire still leaking out in small ways. It didn't bother him, he was used to such displays from the others he worked with, and he was sure if she agreed to work with him -and he knew she would, he was sure of it- there would be other such outbursts.

The drive to his apartment was short, and when they parked, he tried not to feel self conscious about the state of the building itself. She said nothing as he passed the elevator and began walking up the stairs. He had never brought anyone of his choosing to the apartment itself, it had always been Inu Yasha, and even then it was only those within the troupe. Not to mention the others homes weren't much better, so there was little to feel self conscious about.

But Kagome was from a good part of town, and he took her silence for quiet politeness. It would be rude to stare or comment on his surroundings.

"What floor do you live on?" She finally asked.

"The eighth," He replied.

"Good exercise," She commented dryly as they continued climbing. He said nothing, wondering if she was already longing for the elevator. Several minutes later they were in front of his door and he was pleased to note she didn't seem winded in the least. He heard someone moving around inside and tested the knob. As usual, the halfwit hadn't locked the front door, a holdover from his more luxurious upbringing, one Sesshoumaru was trying to break him of.

"Hey cripple, how'd it go?" Inu Yasha's voice called out from the kitchen. Sesshoumaru heard the onna gasp behind him and wished he could explain the special nature of his relationship to Inu Yasha to her, at the very least inform her that he couldn't kill the bastard without severe consequences.

"Ask her, she's here. Entertain her," He replied stonily, leaving her standing in the main living area while he walked down the narrow hall to his room.

Kagome eyed the stranger from the other day warily, unsure if she wanted to spend any time with someone that was so insensitive.

"So what's the asshole done? I'm Inu Yasha by the way."

"Done?" Kagome asked, earning a chuckle as Inu Yasha slurped ramen from a styrofoam container.

"You look ready to spit daggers. He's good at getting people like that," He replied, swallowing the thick weft of noodles he'd stuffed into his mouth. Kagome was surprised at the difference between the brothers. Sesshoumaru had been so neat when he ate, and Inu Yasha...Wasn't.

They didn't look much alike either. There were small similarities, like their pale hazel eyes and the long hair. But Inu Yasha looked rougher, more brawny than Sesshoumaru did. Where the older brother looked more refined, almost feline, Inu Yasha reminded her of something rougher, his expressive eyes almost dog-like.

"Hello?" The younger brother asked, waving a hand around, another hunk of noddles hanging from his mouth. Kagome giggled at the strange expression and shook her head.

"He's just..." She paused, unsure how to word it without sound too rude.

"An asshole. I know, I've lived with him for twenty years."

A door slid open and closed and Sesshoumaru joined them a stack of books tucked into his arm. Inu Yasha eyed them curiously, eyes widening when he saw the title of the one on top.

"These all have chapters on the tessen in them, and different ways of using it. Don't bother reading the rest, it won't make sense unless you have a background in martial arts."

"You're going to let her borrow those?" Inu Yasha burst out, a small bit of noddle flying from his mouth. "You won't even let me touch them!"

"Because you are a disgusting beast," Sesshoumaru replied snidely, flicking the piece of noddle from the cover of the top book before moving over to the low lying table that served mostly to mark the dining area from the 'living room'. Kagome followed, noticing he'd changed into a clean white shirt identical to the last one. Briefly she recognized it as one of the kind that came in a package of three or four. The cotton stretched slightly over his chest, outlining the shape of his torso.

Once they'd sat down, Inu Yasha went to the kitchen, returning with three sodas and setting them down as he took a seat opposite Kagome, eyes on the books on the table. She was surprised to see Sesshoumaru begin to relax as he flipped through the pages of the first book, coming to an area towards the middle that had diagrams of the kata. Realizing that he must have had the books a long time and read them several times, she relaxed as well while he began explaining the theory behind the movements.

It was more fascinating than she had thought it would be. Sesshoumaru's mellow cadence drew her in, and she had no trouble understanding the movements once he gave reason for them. He gave examples, and she looked up from the diagrams when he would move his arm, sometimes even letting Inu Yasha help him.

The obvious dislike between the brothers faded as they both stood and began sweeping through basic postures and movements, apparent only when one called the other something derogatory or insulted their technique. Sesshoumaru's missing arm made explaining some of the forms difficult, and he didn't seem to begrudge Inu Yasha stepping in at those times and offering to show her.

The more she watched, the more she realized Sesshoumaru had been right. Sure it wasn't exactly what she wanted to do, but the postures and movements were much closer to her ideal than the traditional dance forms she'd been taught. Not to mention she could easily incorporate the kicks and lunges into her dancing, rounding it out and giving her more to work with.

At one point they moved the table against the wall, and Kagome was surprised when Sesshoumaru gestured for her to stand.

"Do you remember the form from this afternoon?" He inquired.

She posed her body and began sweeping her arm over her head as she spun in place, bringing the arm back down and to her chest.

"Much better," He rumbled approvingly. Kagome flushed with pleasure only to feel stupid when Inu Yasha snorted disbelievingly.

"She's got it right. Ignore the gimp Kagome, you did it perfectly."

"Thanks," She chirruped, embarrassment fading as quickly as it had come. It wasn't a lot, but it was progress. Inu Yasha's phone rang and he pulled it out, flipping it open and putting it to her ear. The second the voice over the other line started, he began cursing.

"Damn, I lost track of time. I was supposed to meet Miroku at his place two hours ago," He growled.

"Two hours?" Kagome gasped. "What time is it?"

"Eight thirty," Sesshoumaru supplied, looking at his own phone. Kagome drew in a sharp breath and darted to the table, grabbing her bag and stacking the books in her arms, looking to the elder brother while the younger dashed out of the apartment.

"My mom's going to kill me!"

"Tell her we took a break to eat before studying again. I'll have you home within the hour," He told her, holding back a growl when she dropped his books on the tables unceremoniously as she dug her phone from her bag and flipped it open, scrolling through numbers frantically.

"Mom? Hi, yeah. I'm sorry, we stopped to eat and then went back to the library. I'm sorry, I totally lost track of time," She lied, face flushing as he watched her intently.

"Yeah, Sesshoumaru is a good study buddy, a bit of a slave driver though," She chuckled weakly, glaring at the man across from her when he smirked. "Okay, I should be home within an hour, we've just got a couple of things to go over before we head out." A pause. "M'kay, bye mom. Love you too." She closed the phone and stuffed it into her bag, hands lightly trembling.

"You are a terrible liar," He commented as she gathered the books back into a neat pile and picked them up, swinging her bag over her other shoulder.

"I'll take that as a compliment," She muttered, blue eyes narrowing when he moved over to a metal trunk and opened it to pull out a large clear container.

"I want to see how you use the fans before I take you back," He answered the unspoken question as he strode past her and out the door. She followed, waiting patiently when he locked the door and jiggled the knob, making sure it was secure. Unable to contain her own excitement, she practically skipped down the stairs and couldn't stop herself from humming a nonsense song.

He drove them back to the park and she almost exploded out his car, her bag in hand as she ran to the deserted basketball court. Darkness was falling, and though the light pollution made the area less than ideal, her blood was thrumming excitedly through her veins, her heart slamming in her chest.

"We have to let them soak. What kind of fuel do you normally use?" He asked.

"I've only burned once. Kujaku uses kerosine, and I used what she had," Kagome admitted, disconcerted by his frown.

"I have a mixture I use, it burns hotter than kerosine," He replied. "It's brighter, and it doesn't burn as quickly."

Kagome nodded and pulled her fans and the basins from her bag, setting the basins on the ground and dropped the fans in. She watched as he poured the fuel into the basins, soaking the kevlar wick. Once he was satisfied, he stood and capped the bottle, eyes glinting strangely in the dying light.

"What attracts you to fire?" He asked finally, eyes still focused on the basins.

Kagome stopped, his tone striking a cord somewhere in her heart. It felt like there was something below the question, a note she didn't quite understand. Instinctively knowing he wouldn't appreciate her default answer, she opened her mouth and closed it, suddenly feeling shy. Her thoughts seemed silly in the face of his seriousness, and she was positive he already thought she was an idiot.

His gaze swung to her and he blinked once, a silent command.

"It's stupid," She muttered.

"Perhaps the most unique answer I've heard," He replied stonily. Burned by the apathy of his tone, Kagome looked to the sky, eyes seeking out the few stars that filtered through the clouds, barely visible for the the city lights drowning them out.

"Stars are nothing but burning chemicals. Fire. They're so far away, and you can barely ever see them here," She sighed, not even looking at him. "I want to be like one. I want to burn so brightly the kami look down in wonder to see a star coming to life on the earth's surface."

The silence was deafening, and she felt her cheeks growing hot. Now she didn't even dare look at him.

"I told you it was stupid," She finally muttered, feeling absurd and foolish.

"It is a unique reason," He replied gruffly, and she turned back to him, surprised by how uncomfortable he looked. "Most engage fire for far less."

"You sound like you hate those people," She commented softly.

"I know it's capabilities," He admitted, and she noticed his eyes flicking to where an arm had once hung. Tears burned her eyes and her throat tightened when she realized what he was telling her.

"And you didn't quit?" She asked, finding her voice.

"It is not in me to give up."

In that moment her respect for the strange man grew in leaps and bounds. Through the course of the day, she had seen him get lost in a topic he obviously loved, and she could understand why he disliked other performers. He probably felt that most of them were mocking something he had devoted a good portion of his life to. The fact that he had lost a limb to fire and continued playing with it only colored that, adding a new dimension to a person she had initially thought an insensitive jerk.

"Your fans should be ready," He commented, breaking the strange silence. Kagome nodded again, moving to pick the fans up and flick off the excess fluid. She closed them and held the ends out, waiting for him to light them. The lighter clicked, and fire jumped from the edge of the cheap plastic lighter to the tips of one fan and then the other.

Still shaken by the sudden change in her perspective, she moved to the center of the basketball court and assumed the position he had taught her earlier. Inhaling the chemical smell of the fluid burning away and the smoke, she exhaled and felt everything in her mind still. Wishing to show her appreciation, her fans snapped open and she began to move, going through what little she had been able to pick up that day.

Sesshoumaru watched, still angry at himself for his slip. He had not intended to tell her anything about himself, not about his past or his current circumstances. But his anger began ebbing, slipping away as he observed her. Shock shifted into pleasure with each step she took.

She was imitating the movements he and Inu Yasha had gone through that day, and despite the imperfections of her form, she proved that she had been watching and listening. There were hints of wildness in her actions, bleeding through in her wide arcs and spins, but it was not as uncontrolled as what he had seen of her first burn.

She stumbled once, and the fire ghosted over her face, exposing her expression to him. Either the flames or her own inner joy made her eyes fever bright, and the smile on her face was a small, half hypnotized sort, as if she had lulled herself into a trance. Her answer came back to him, and despite the stilted poetry of it, he realized it suited her.

She was a woman of quiet passions. Her mother was slowly strangling them, damping a flame that had been burning quietly for years. Perhaps it was an ironic twist of fate that Kagome had chosen fire as her rebellion. The constraints placed on her explained her wildness as well. Passion had to escape somehow, and from what he had gleaned, her dancing was the only outlet she had. The polite, somewhat shy female he had studied with in a better part of town was gone, and there was a different woman in her place now. The transformation was nothing short of startling and complete.

She stopped, and he watched her walking closer. Timidly she sat one of the fans down at the edge of the court, a silent offer. Knowing how much she loved them, and how rare an opportunity to really use them must be, he couldn't help but feel complimented by the offer. Not willing to repay such a gesture with rudeness, he bent and picked it up, closing it and moving to the center of the court.

She moved to face him, and he began going through the kata of tessenjutsu, movements flowing smoothly from his memory, and she tried to imitate him. He was controlled grace, she was clumsy and undisciplined. Imperfect mirrors of one another, his stern focus was countered by her child like wonder. Each movement of his body came from lessons ingrained in physical memory, and each step for her seemed to be a revelation, something that quietly amused him as he kept half an eye on her.

His heartbeat felt as if it slowed, pulsing a beat that he moved his body in time to. The ever strange sound of the fire, like a flag flapping in a heavy wind snapped and hissed in time with that beat and the light of the flame itself darkened the rest of the world, shrinking it to the island of the basketball court. Feeling free in the simplicity of his movements, calm in their familiarity, it wasn't until the fire dimmed and he snapped the fan shut that he realized he'd slipped into that clear, still state he sought out during regular sword practice.

"Thank you," She murmured, spreading the fan out to cool. He followed suit, setting the tessen next to it's mate and sitting down a few feet from her.

He said nothing, merely looked to the sky to find what few stars he could.

* * *

**A/N:** This chapter for this title is brought to you by Signum, featuring Kate Louise Smith. The extended mix is beautiful, and I highly suggest you go over to youtube for a listen.

Okay, now I would like to state the book I got my idea from is titled Occult Japan: Shinto, Shamanism and the Way of the Gods by Percival Lowell. In the edition I am currently reading (1990 Inner Traditions) there is a forward posing that the Japanese entered wars they could not win because of their belief that they descended from gods. The book was written in 1895 and the forward shortly after WWII. So it was a plot point, one that I hope no one takes true offense with or takes too seriously. The book is a good attempt at trying to put the stories of shinto belief into chronological order, even if the english translations of the names make the whole thing a little wordy.

Also, sorry this is late. (Im always so late...argh) The stepfather has been recovering from having stints put in his legs, so my boyo and I were voluntold for yardwork yesterday. Jeebus...try cutting over an acre of grass three feet tall with a pushmower. (I love my family...I love my family...) And after we went to see The Business for the first time. It was an amazing show. (Still riding the concert high) Oh, and PBR is nasty.


	4. From The Earth

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 4: From the Earth**

_This chapter is for ShiTsukisama, who has been awesome since I started this story. Danke!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inu Yasha or it's characters. I just love putting them in awkward situations. I also do not hold any rights to Andrew Bayer's music.

* * *

Friday came with sore muscles and a sun too bright for Kagome's tastes. She had been up half the night finishing a neglected paper and resisting the call of the loaned books. At three she'd finished the paper and printed it out, then collapsed in bed face first, determined to get some sleep.

Stumbling downstairs and into the kitchen, she saw her mother humming brightly as she prepared bento boxes for her children. The idyllic setting was utter antitheses to her groggy state, forcing her to the fridge instead of asking for her mother to make something as she normally did.

"Hello dear," Nodoka chirped brightly, not looking up from the counter.

"Hi mom," Kagome grumbled as she shuffled food around in the fridge, searching for something quick and easy to eat before she showered.

"How is your paper coming?"

Kagome was grateful the door hid her face from her mother, and she poked her nose deeper in, hoping to avoid looking at the older woman.

"Great mom. Sesshoumaru's a bit of a traditionalist, but it's a good perspective. I'm able to cover holes in my theory."

"That's good. I'm glad you've found a study buddy like him," Came the reply, and Kagome couldn't help herself. Either her mother knew and was playing a mind game or she really had no idea and was saying something about the man Kagome couldn't understand. She pulled back from the fridge and stared at her mother's back.

"Like him?" She questioned.

"Oh, just-" Nodoka started, then faltered when she turned and saw the look on Kagome's face. "I just know you're not going to date him," The older woman added.

"Of course not, he's a jerk," Kagome muttered. Nodoka seemed startled by the revelation, and Kagome felt her eyes widen. "What were you thinking mom?" She asked, turning the question into an accusation. Kagome knew she had inherited her mother's skills in deception, and something about the older woman's reaction rubbed her the wrong way.

"It's nothing dear-"

"Mom," Kagome started, stomach bottoming out.

"Well, you know," Nodoka hedged, turning back to the bento.

"No, I _don't_ know," Kagome bit out.

"His arm," Her mother sighed, as if she felt awful for saying it aloud. Kagome however, was even more horrified that the woman _-her mother!-_ had even thought such a thing.

"What about his arm?" She demanded, anger making her words clipped and chilly.

"I just don't see you dating someone disabled."

Kagome was grateful her mother's back was to her, or else the woman would have been horrified at the fury suffusing her daughter's eyes, turning them a stormy midnight. She counted to ten, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from shouting at the woman that had become a stranger with that single comment.

"I guess," She ground out, surprised by the rage echoing in her voice. Appetite gone, she closed the door gently, determined not to give away the depth of her anger, and walked from the kitchen with controlled movements. She took the stairs in a similar manner. It was only after she shut her door and buried her face in a pillow that she allowed the scream escape, forcing all of her disbelief and rage into it.

After three more screams, she felt marginally better, although her stomach still shuddered at the thought of food. Going to the stack of books on her desk, she opened the top one to the middle and searched for the diagrams Sesshoumaru had been explaining to her.

She examined the second form, recognizing it for one Sesshoumaru had done the night before, and moved into position. She swept her arm in front of her and spun on her heel, shooting her arm forward, pretending she was holding one of the tessen. Then she looked to the diagram and noted the position of the figure's feet.

After ten minutes of practicing the same form over and over, looking at separate parts of the diagram each time to focus more on the minute details instead of the overall motion, she felt calmer and more relaxed. Recalling her mother's words didn't summon the same anger it had before, instead she found she could only pity her mother's perception of the man.

Sesshoumaru was many things, but disabled was not one of them. Despite the brevity of their strange partnership, she couldn't picture him ever accepting such a descriptor, and not because he was bitter about the loss. He just seemed to the sort of person to set his mind on something and get it. Most of the time she barely noticed it's absence. When they were studying, she could hear the keys of his laptop being pressed at an almost unbelievable rate, and he drove perfectly.

As he had taught her the first form, she still hadn't thought about it. In fact, the only times she had even remembered it's absence was when he had allowed Inu Yasha to show her one of the forms in the kata and when he had hinted at an accident with fire involved. That thought made her think of their shared burn.

It had been...Exhilarating. She had been unsure if he would even touch the fan, especially after his short worded confession. Instead, he had surprised her by moving into a pose and going through the kata with practiced ease, and she had been hard put to keep moving herself as she watched him. For the duration of the burn he had looked like a strange and terrible spirit, a warrior dragged from hell as the fire had lit his features. What had been intended as a thank you had turned into a sort of playing, although she was sure he didn't see it that way.

"Disabled. Hah," Kagome muttered, closing the book and moving the stack under her bed, changing her mind the last second and grabbing the one from on top. The rest safely concealed, she opened her bag and tucked the giant manual inside carefully. Satisfied that everything was hidden from her mother, she grabbed a towel and headed for the bathroom.

While she turned the knobs and waited for the water to heat up, she wondered if his missing limb was the reason for his surly personality. Knowing she probably wouldn't be the most pleasant person if she lost a limb, she attributed his brusqueness to his loss. Maybe he was a slave driver because he had to try hard, and expected others to do so.

The night before had shaken some of her perceptions of him. Despite his icy reserve, there were times he was-more, not that she could find a word for what that more was. He'd been relaxed, maybe content, despite Inu Yasha's presence. Even though she could tell the brothers didn't get along, they both seemed happier going through the forms, even while they were insulting one another. While no one would ever call them affectionate, it seemed almost like it was their way of coexisting, not that she'd ever say it out loud to them.

The image of him staring longingly up at the sky, out of place and alone in the world came rushing back to her, causing a blush to heat her cheeks. The hell spirit had vanished and left behind someone too beautiful to be an earthly being. No matter what kind of jerk he was or his supposed disability, she had felt a flicker of attraction in that moment. More than a flicker if she were to be honest with herself.

Shaking her head in disgust she stepped into the shower. Reprimanding herself for being no better than her mother, she focused instead on his abominable behavior. Looks didn't matter, for good or ill. He was a jerk, and he was only helping her because he was bored. He had even admitted it. Eventually he would get bored of her and take his leave of her life.

Reminding herself of that made the hot water seem a little colder as it hit her skin.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was leaving his last class of the day and intent on getting back to the apartment when his phone jingled cheerily, and unfamiliar tone. Pulling it from his jeans, he flipped it open and stared down at the screen. A text. Who would text him when even phone calls were rare. And texting was on the verge of rude considering his state. He opened his inbox and was surprised to see Kagome's number blinking. He clicked on the text, curious what she could want.

_Are you at school? I was working on the second form and wanted your opinion._

Finding a way to hold the phone and text back took a moments unsure fiddling before he grasped it. Even before losing his arm he hadn't used text messages, hating phones in general. In the past six months the only people to call were Inu Yasha and potential customers. It took him longer than he would have liked, but he managed to get his point across and hit the send button.

Walking, he felt strangely eager. He hadn't expected her to start working on the next form. To be fair, he hadn't expected her to share her burn with him, something he was still puzzling over. Whether it had been meant as a gesture of gratitude or peace he wasn't really sure. While it hadn't been anything like going through sword kata, he had been comforted by repeating movements ingrained in him since childhood. The fire had hardly been relevant before, but he was beginning to understand the appeal it held for her. Something had felt charged about the experience, as if the moves had gained a new gravity that flavored them and given them a new meaning.

The student quad was almost deserted, except for Kagome sitting on the lip of the fountain. When she noticed him, she stood and waved cheerily.

"Hey. I didn't interrupt anything did I?" She asked, looking slightly embarrassed.

"My class was over."

"Oh, good," She breathed a relieved sigh and straightened. "I was scared to call in case you were still in class."

"The form?" He asked, ignoring the explanation, not wanting to examine it for an apology. He had hoped she just hadn't thought about it or thought he had overcome that obstacle. Since he had texted back at least she didn't think him incapable.

He watched her begin with the first form, observing the slight trembling of her legs. Her movements were correct despite obviously sore muscles. When she stilled and moved into the second pose, he watched as she went through it, forcing himself to keep his expression flat.

She had gotten it completely correct.

"Did you watch a video online?" He asked, startling her so much she stumbled over own feet.

"No. This morning my mom-Um, I decided to practice and I paid attention to the diagram. Why, was I doing it wrong?"

He almost asked about her mother, but refrained, her expression darker than it had been moments before warning him off. Personal problems, hers especially, were not his problem.

"You did well," He confirmed, and smirked when she pumped a fist into the air. Then her stomach rumbled loudly and she blushed.

"Sorry, I forgot to grab my lunch before going home," She sighed, running a hand through her hair. Her stomach rumbled loudly again, emphasizing the statement. "And I didn't eat this morning."

Funny, she didn't seem like the anorexic type.

"Want to go grab lunch? My treat," She offered. "Or do you have another class?"

"I am done with classes for the day." It was a sideways acceptance, and he began walking. She scrambled for her bag and jogged to catch up with him.

"By the way, did you hear Donner got dismissed?" She asked as they moved of the parking deck.

"Didn't take long for someone to complain to the dean," He replied, feeling an irrational surge of pleasure at the professor's termination.

"No kidding. Rumor has it that he made her cry," Kagome sighed. "Poor woman." He couldn't contain the incredulous noise that sprang from his throat.

"She insulted a country she left her own homeland for, not to mention she stole the idea from that book word for word," He rebutted.

"Yeah, but everyone makes mistakes. Besides, I was kind of looking forward to arguing that point in my paper."

"Kagome!" A voice called out. Kagome turned, and he could hear her murmur something suspiciously akin to 'uh-oh'.

"Hi Kujaku," Kagome greeted, forcing a bright smile.

He didn't recognize the newcomer, although she seemed to recognize him. Immediately her eyes hardened and her lips thinned into a frown.

"I was heading to the bar. You should come," The other woman suggested in a hard voice, eyes never leaving him.

"I can't, I'm sorry. I already offered to buy Sesshoumaru lunch for helping me out," Kagome answered in a small voice. The woman tensed, looking as if she were readying herself to punch him.

"With what?" Kujaku fairly growled, the level or ire in her voice surprising him. He was fairly certain he'd never even seen her before, much less done something to anger her.

"He loaned me a book with some diagrams explaining tessenjutsu."

"That's all?"

Obviously something about the woman's tone bothered his new student, because she stiffened next to him, hands tightening on her bag strap.

"Sesshoumaru, I'll be back in a second," Kagome said over her shoulder as he watched them walk away. Despite her attempts to be quiet, the parking deck carried sound and allowed him to be privy to the whole conversation. Not that it would have mattered, the other woman didn't seem to care if he heard her or not.

"Kujaku, what's wrong? If he did something bad-"

"He's an asshole, and so is his brother. They treated Kouga like shit when he worked for them," Kujaku snapped. "I don't know why he's helping you, but he's got some ulterior motive. He's not nice to anyone."

"It's just a book. It's not like he offered me a job or anything. And he's a bit rough and rude, but he hasn't treated me badly," Kagome defended.

Kouga. That explained it. He had been one of the better performers in the troupe, a martial artist obsessed with tricking and par cor. While Sesshoumaru would admit he had worked the man hard, he hadn't treated him any differently than the others. Inu Yasha was another story. Both males had thrown themselves into one little competition after another. It had made for great performances, but everyone else had grown tired of their antics. When Inu Yasha had gotten drunk and slept with Kouga's girlfriend, Kouga had departed, never to be seen again.

However, if he had done something that would keep Kagome from at least considering working for the troupe, the situation would have to be rectified. He didn't care what anyone thought of his half brother, but the former member spreading rumors would only harm the business. Already halfway through the year, he wasn't going to allow anything to ruin his chances.

He walked over to them, ignoring the hateful look the woman sent in his direction.

"When Kouga worked for me, I treated him no differently than any of the others, and I pushed them no harder than I pushed myself," He told her in an apathetic tone, doing his best to keep from snapping at her as she tried to move between him and Kagome. "His anger has more to do with Inu Yasha's indiscretion than my work ethic."

"Indiscretion? Inu Yasha broke up his engagement!"

"Which has nothing to do with me," He replied stonily. "I merely have the misfortune of being related to the halfwit."

Kujaku opened her mouth to say something, then snapped it shut. He could hear her teeth grinding together as she continued to glare at him.

"Kujaku, we can't blame him for something his brother did. I'm not going to at least," Kagome said in a stern tone. Immediately the strange woman seemed to deflate, looking like a child that had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Kagome, he's-"

"Kujaku, we'll talk about it later," Kagome interrupted. "I'll take a rain check on the bar, okay?"

The dismissal was clear, and the woman nodded once, expression mutinous as she turned and walked away.

Acting as if nothing out of the ordinary happened, he started walking to his car. The diminutive onna surprised him, her short legs carrying her ahead of him quickly to the vehicle. He could tell she was angry, although he had no idea why. But the rubber soles of her sneakers slapped angrily against the concrete, echoing in the parking deck as she stopped, looking everywhere for the heap.

Moving one row over, he fished for his keys and tried to ignore the sounds of her stalking over to him. He set his bag in the backseat carefully and unlocked her door. She yanked it open and threw her bag in the back, not seeming to care where it landed.

"My laptop is in my bag," He commented.

"I'm sorry. It's just so stupid, blaming you for something Inu Yasha did. I can't believe she'd do something like that. It's like everyone today is just assuming-" She stopped, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Have others warned you away?" He asked as he started the car and put it into gear.

"No. My mom was just being a moron this morning and now Kujaku is saying stupid stuff. I just don't get it. You're not the nicest guy in the world granted, but you're not a demon or anything," She muttered. "And everyone keeps making these completely retarded assumptions based off of shallow observations. I thought they were better than that," She snarled, surprising even him, although he knew he shouldn't have been surprised. People who felt intensely were prone to angry outbursts. He just hadn't expected himself to be at the root of one.

"Did your mother warn you off?" He asked conversationally, mildly curious about her mother's reaction to him. The woman had seemed sincere the day before, and he had a hard time imagining her lying. If anything he suspected that she was as terrible a liar as her daughter.

"No, nothing like that. She's comfortable with you being my study partner because she thinks we'll never date. Which is fine and works out great for me. It's just- argh! I thought my mom was better than that," She growled.

"It's only natural," He commented dryly, not feeling even a flicker of anger. It was easy to understand why the woman wouldn't be concerned, and he couldn't fully blame her. Anyone not missing a limb seemed to think his life was either some great hardship, or he would be a burden. Other's opinions of him had never mattered overmuch. The loss of his arm had only reinforced that attitude.

"Natural? My mom brought me up to believe it wasn't outside that mattered. Besides, you seem to be getting along just fine," She snapped. "Anyone that thinks you're disabled isn't looking."

Now why did that feel like a compliment? He knew it wasn't. In fact, if anything, she was just venting about her mother, and he was trapped in a car with her. If he had known she'd end up venting her spleen at him he would have refused.

But she was too angry to come up with pity, even for him, and she hadn't stumbled over the declaration in the least. It didn't sound like a lie or pity, or even flattery. Just a simple statement of fact that soothed his ego even though he told himself it didn't need it.

Luckily there was a small diner near the campus that served decent food. He pulled into the parking lot and parked. When he turned, she was still glaring at her entwined fingers.

"I know I am not lacking," He told her, breaking her from her reverie. "I am not offended, and I do not need you to be on my behalf."

Her gusty sigh was filled with bitterness and resignation.

"People are stupid," She muttered as she got out of the car. He found he couldn't disagree with her. They walked in and were shown to their seats. The hostess smiled at him until she saw his arm, and he was surprised when Kagome growled at the teenager's suddenly uncomfortable expression.

It really was getting to be too much. She was taking higher offense to others issue with him than he did, which was foolish and irrational.

"Stop. I do not need a champion, especially not some silly onna," He muttered as they took their seats. Kagome said nothing for several minutes before expelling another gusty sigh and picking up her menu.

"I'm just more sensitive to it because of my mom. Kujaku didn't help. So Inu Yasha was the one that slept with Ayame?" She asked, changing the topic. He allowed it, as eager to get past her issue, even if the new topic was his brother.

"Yes."

"I didn't know her too well. She was the jealous type and didn't take a liking to me. I do feel bad for Kouga though, he's been sort of lost without her," She admitted. "So Kouga worked for you?"

"I run a troupe," He admitted, although the words still came reluctantly. He didn't often speak of it to others. Even personal meetings with customers were generally referred to Miroku, who was much more of a 'people person'.

"Kouga mentioned working for a troupe at one point, although he didn't talk about it to me much. I don't know. I didn't realize there was that much drama," She sighed. A waitress came to their table, and Kagome noticed she studiously avoided looking directly at Sesshoumaru's empty sleeve.

"I'd like a coke and the kobe burger," Kagome commented darkly, handing the waitress her menu.

"The same," Sesshoumaru said tonelessly. Once the woman was gone, he turned to glare at the silly woman across from him.

"I'm sorry," She groaned, crossing her arms and pillowing her forehead with them. "I'm being such a brat, and I really don't know why. You don't need anyone championing your abilities. I'm just being an oversensitive idiot."

They sat in silence for several minutes, her face hidden in her arms and his eyes resting on the top of her head. Eventually she peeked from her hiding spot, one blue eye barely visible from behind her hair.

"Any topic, your choice," She offered, the words slightly muffled by her arms.

"Would you like a job?" He asked, surprising himself. That had not been what he meant to say, though he certainly couldn't retract the statement now. He was saved from her immediate response by the waitress bringing them their drinks. Kagome peered at him curiously, as if unsure if he was being serious or not.

"What would it entail?" She asked cautiously as she straightened and reached for her coke.

"Continuing to practice. Working with the others, learning routines, performing for people," He answered baldly, unsure if he was pleased by her caution or annoyed.

"According to you, I barely know my way around my fans. Why would you offer me a job?"

"Routines are easy enough to learn. You said you've learned the traditional dances, these will be no different, only more labor intensive."

She was quiet for several minutes, resting her elbow on the table and resting her chin in her palm. Blue eyes gazed at him steadily, although he had a feeling she wasn't really seeing him.

"I don't know if I could manage it. You know my mom," She sighed., shrugging helplessly.

"Your mother thinks I am an ideal partner. You will not be lying if you tell her you are studying with me," He reasoned. It was a low blow, and he could see her being tempted. He didn't know why he was trying to reason with her. For everyone else, he could care less if they stayed or went, all of them were replaceable. Yet here he was, coaxing or goading -which, he wasn't really sure- her into accepting the job.

The others were all Inu Yasha's friends. Inu Yasha's idea. Inu Yasha's circle. She was his in a way. He would be bringing her in, would be introducing her to everyone, and she would be training with him the most. After six months of almost complete social isolation, he admitted there was a craving for someone to talk to that wasn't somehow his halfwit half brother's. That she had the fortitude to stand up to him was only an added bonus, however irksome it could be.

"I don't know," She hedged.

"I am also top of my class," He countered. "I could do the unthinkable and actually help you with your schoolwork." Was he...Teasing? For a moment he wished he could pull the words from the air and stuff them back in his mouth. Settling for taking a prolonged sip from his glass, he waited for her answer.

"How much time would it take?"

He wanted to lie. It would be so damnably easy to lie to her. But he knew it would come back to haunt him. She was the kind of person to take such things personally, and he'd already been gifted with a preview of her temper.

"At least eight hours a week. We normally practice on Sunday and Thursday."

Her eyes bugged.

"I could do Sunday," She stuttered. "But Thursday? I mean, that's at least four hours!"

He was given a moment to think when the waitress came with their food. The woman stared forward steadfastly, obviously afraid of offending her customers. She left after inquiring quietly about their drinks, fleeing back to the kitchen.

"Three. We do five hours on Sunday. Also, it would furnish you with more study partners," He reminded her. "Long study groups aren't unusual."

She sat staring at her burger, watching it go cold while he cut his neatly in half and began eating. Despite the fact that he only had one hand, he was still obsessively neat, setting the burger down every couple of bites to wipe his fingers.

She wanted to strangle him.

He knew her mother, had met the woman. He knew the problems she was facing, would face if she agreed. So why was he offering her something so damnably forbidden and tempting? It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him to go to hell. It would be more than well deserved.

The offer dangled in front of her, killing her appetite, consuming her thoughts and making her stomach churn.

"One week," She choked out, mouth drying even as she said it.

"That's hardly sufficient time-"

"A one week trial," She clarified, every warning bell in her head going off at the declaration. "To see if I can manage it. I don't want to commit before knowing I can do it, it wouldn't be fair to you or the others."

Her forethought would have impressed him if he didn't see the real reasoning behind it. She was afraid to commit to it, afraid she would give in to her mother or her own guilt.

"Do you know the route to my neighborhood?" He asked. She shook her head.

"Then go to the school, I'll pick you up sunday."

She picked at her food while he finished his own, and when the waitress came back he glared at her, the onna's mood rubbing off on him. Her emotions were a black cloud hanging over her, leeching the color out of her eyes and grating against his nerves.

"Eat," He bit out.

"I'm not hungry," She sighed, pushing the plate away. She didn't even blink when he pulled it to him and cut it in half, and then into quarters. When he pushed the plate back to her, she noticed, blue eyes questioning him.

"For every part you eat, I will teach you a new form tonight."

He didn't want to bargain with her, but her lack of hunger bothered him, knowing he had heard her stomach growling petulantly only twenty minutes before. It wasn't healthy or natural for her to just stop being hungry.

His offer worked. She picked up the first quarter and consumed it slowly, each bite lodging in her throat, followed by an ungraceful swig from her glass. The second quarter went down more easily, and by the third she was eating normally. Soon the plate was clean, and her glass empty.

"I'll meet you out at the car," She sighed happily as she rubbed her tummy. "I need to go pay the bill."

He nodded once, allowing himself a small smirk when she gave another little happy sigh as he walked away. Stubborn and irritating as she was, she was also easy to manipulate.

When he pulled the car up to the door, he noticed her posture had changed, and she was smiling brightly. Nuances of body language be damned, she was fairly glowing and screaming good cheer. For a moment he wondered if she was bipolar or merely stressed.

"So, back to your place? I brought the first book, the one with the diagrams if you need it."

He said nothing as he pulled out of the parking lot, wanting to hit himself. Four forms. She would have to call her mother and inform the woman she'd be in late. Very late.

* * *

"Please, enough," Kagome groaned, falling on her bottom and then flopping backwards on the floor, legs splayed open wide and arms flung over her head. Every muscle in her body protested even the slightest movement. Even breathing hurt. Parts of her she hadn;t been totally aware of existing were screaming their agony at her, a chorus of angry protest.

"Backing out?" Sesshoumaru asked, a haughty brow arched so high she knew it reached it hairline.

"Give her a break," Inu Yasha snapped, going to the kitchen and coming back with a bottle of water. She accepted it gratefully and pushed it against her forehead. Not particularly hot, she had to put it there to avoid the temptation to put it between her thighs, where she hurt the most. Such a gesture would not only be incredibly unseemly, she didn't want to make herself the butt of anymore jokes from either of the brothers. Especially Inu Yasha, who had no qualms about making fun of her or being crass.

"I should have eaten less," She moaned.

"Huh?" Inu Yasha asked. "You're not going to be sick are you?"

"No," She snapped irritably. With a heaving sigh she sat up and opened the water, taking a grateful swig from it. "Your brother decided to kill my appetite and then bribe me to eat."

The silence that met her declaration made her look to Inu Yasha, who looked as if he'd been slapped.

"He bribed you to eat?" The younger brother finally asked.

"Yeah," She responded hesitantly.

"I asked her to join the troupe. She'll give the schedule a one week trial to see if it is feasible given her schoolwork," Sesshoumaru supplied coolly.

"What? That's awesome, why didn't you guys mention this before?" Inu Yasha demanded. "I could have called the others and let them know."

"Now you can," Sesshoumaru remarked tonelessly, moving into the kitchen.

"So a one week trial huh?" Inu Yasha finally asked as Sesshoumaru rummaged around in the other room.

"Yeah. I don't know if I can actually fully devote myself to a job like that and school, and I don't want to waste anyone's time."

Inu Yasha made a rude noise and stretched lazily before sitting down next to her.

"It won't be hard. You've already managed to hang out here for two days in a row. And even the bastard will make exceptions if something big comes up at school," He assured her.

"Funny that you're calling me the bastard," A voice remarked dryly. Inu Yasha growled at his older brother warningly, earning nothing but a cold smirk.

"Do you guys ever stop?" Kagome groaned, flopping back onto the floor.

"We're actually a lot better than we used to be," Inu Yasha snorted as he stood and left the room. Kagome could hear his phone ringing through the thin walls. His answer was low enough to be indistinct and she turned back to Sesshoumaru.

"Why are you guys like that?" She asked.

"It is a family matter," He bit out coldly, the smirk turning into a frown.

"I'm sorry," She murmured, immediately feeling badly for her question. Choosing not to reply, he moved to the table and picked his phone up, checking the time.

"It's past eight," He observed. She stood, her legs trembling beneath her as she took several wobbling steps towards the table.

"Which way is the bus stop?" She asked as she bent, arms shaking from exhaustion.

"It's not safe to walk at night. I'll drive you," He rumbled, feeling slightly guilty. He had pushed her harder than he had intended. For three hours she'd practiced tirelessly, following his orders to the letter, even when he'd thrust the fan in her hand. The heavy metal couldn't have been easy to hold for such a long time, especially since he made her practice with each hand.

Guilt needling him, he ignored her incredulous stare and gathered his keys from the table. He waited for her to slip on her shoes and walked out towards the elevators. She continued to stay silent as they waited for it to arrive. The bell dinged and the doors squealed open. For a moment he doubted she would get in, blue eyes sweeping over the interior, hesitation evident. But she followed and the doors screeched shut behind them.

"Sometimes it feels like I've known you longer than I have. I'm sorry I behaved in such a familiar manner."

The car was taking forever to reach the parking garage. It was at the fourth floor, two minutes into the silence that he decided to respond.

"He was born while my parents were still married."

"That's hardly his fault," She shot out, surprising him once again. Most people had offered their own bits of wisdom or left the subject alone. No one had ever challenged his behavior. "If you two hate each other so much, why do you live together? I'm sure you could find a different roommate."

"This is easiest."

"Could have fooled me," She muttered.

One more floor to go and they could leave the conversation behind in the steel box that was suddenly too small. He wanted to put a healthy amount of distance between himself and the newest member of his troupe. The whole of Japan was a good start. The Pacific Ocean would be a good next step.

"We are as we are," He replied, forcing his tone into cool apathy even though he was grinding his teeth.

The doors dinged open and she walked out past him towards his car. Her gait was still stiff and awkward, no matter how much anger was driving her. Following at a more sedate pace, he readied himself for a volley of insults and unwarrented suggestions. Much to his surprise, the woman was silent for most of the drive back to her home. When he finally stopped at the base of the steps leading to her shrine, she turned to say something and stopped.

"I'll see you later."

Not deigning to reply, he watched her get out and close the door gently behind her before pulling away from the curb, frowning. In the short time he had known her, pity had never entered into their interactions. But her eyes had held nothing less.

* * *

A/N: Jeebus, sorry this is so late and probably stilted (I need a beta. Any volunteers?). I've been getting ready for Alchemy and it's been...hectic. On top of that the mom has been having health problems and getting buku testing done and I've been there with her. So...I'm sorry. Alchemy is in a little over a week, as well as my boyo and best friend's birthdays. I'll try to post, but I can't make an promises. Life happens.

This chapter was inspired by Andrew Bayer's From the Earth (breakfast remix). Hope you look it up and enjoy it!

Last note. Kobe burgers are real, I found a recipe on the net. They're AMAZING.


	5. The Moth

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 5: The Moth**

**Disclaimer**: I do not own rights to Inu Yasha and it's related characters. I also do not own anything belonging to Gai Barone.

* * *

Stairs clear? Check. Living room? Check.

Kagome was just slipping into the foyer, bag held tightly to her chest when her mother's voice broke through the silence.

"Kagome, where are you going?" Nodoka asked in a gentle voice, oblivious to her daughter's sudden stiffening back.

"I was going to go meet Sesshoumaru for study group. His brother goes to school with us and he's bringing some of his friends," She hedged, smiling brightly. Inwardly she was praying the smell of fuel wasn't leaking through her bag.

"Oh, that's nice. You all know you can study here as well," Nodoka offered.

"It's a lot of people," Kagome murmured, running a hand through her hair, pulling several strands from her once neat bun.

"That'll be fine. Souta's been studying at his friend's house, so it's been empty here. Just let me know when so I can make enough for everyone," The older woman replied as she left Kagome in the foyer. Too eager to just get out, Kagome didn't even utter a farewell as she shoved her feet into her shoes and fled outside.

Once the morning sun was hitting her face, she began to breathe more easily.

Her mother's easy acceptance of Sesshoumaru and her lie made Kagome antsy. She wondered if she knew and was playing a head game with her, or if she had really fallen for her deception. Neither was an especially comfortable thought.

Sleep had not come easily. Last night had been spent at the bar with part of the pack, and it seemed her budding friendship with Sesshoumaru had reached the rest. Most had taken her explanation in stride, although Kujaku and Kouga both had been silent on the subject, their refusal to speak about it saying more than enough. The job offer hadn't come up either, and she had -wisely, she believed- refrained from saying anything about it.

Kujaku's silence had hurt though, more than she cared to admit. When Kagome had taken the bus back home, the other woman still too angry to drive her, it had been late and she had been intent on sleeping. But her friend's silence and nervousness about meeting the rest of the troupe had crowded her mind, making slumber impossible. The magnitude of the deception she was about to start, had already started, bore down on her.

When she finally had slept, it had been restless and filled with half remembered dreams of being left alone by everyone.

"Get a grip. It's just a week. It probably won't work out anyway," Kagome snapped impatiently as she walked down the stone steps to the street. The bus was already pulling up the the stop and she had to jog to catch it. The driver didn't even look at her as she deposited her change and took a seat towards the front.

'Will they like me? If they're anything like Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha, they're probably going to hate me. I don't know anything about actually performing,' She lamented inwardly, her thoughts only growing darker as the bus took her closer to the college campus. Each scenario she pictured was worse than the last, eventually ending with Sesshoumaru dismissing her presence entirely.

When her stop was called out, she jumped as of her seat had caught fire and hurried off, still clutching her bag like a lifeline. No one followed and the bus roared to life and took off, leaving her standing, feeling silly and childish.

"What ever made me think I could do this?" She demanded hotly, looking at the sky. Frustrated tears were already starting to sting her eyes.

"Because I said you can," A voice rumbled behind her. She jumped, bag dropping from her arms.

"Sesshoumaru! Kami, don't sneak up on people like that," She growled, bending to retrieve the abused canvas messenger bag her fans were stowed away in.

"Second thoughts?" He asked instead, already walking away. Rushing to catch up, she had to take two steps for every one of his long legged strides.

"You said everyone else has martial arts training. I don't have any. I've just been trained to dance like a girl," She sighed, the last word escaping with more force than the rest.

"I would not have asked if I had doubts," He replied simply, turning into the almost empty parking lot and getting into his car. On any other day one of the campus security guards would have given him a citation for parking on the teacher's deck, but there were only two other cars parked, all in the first row.

"We're running late," He said, turning the statement into a command to move faster. Kagome tossed her backpack, filled with the books Sesshoumaru had loaned her, into the back seat and held her messenger bag in her lap.

The drive was silent, and she instinctively reached for the radio before remembering that it didn't work. Feeling foolish, she leaned back in the seat and worried a loose thread on her messenger bag. Looking over to the driver, she saw him staring stoically ahead, face neutral as he navigated traffic.

It felt like a hundred years had passed before they finally pulled into the parking lot of the park he had taken her to before. As it was Sunday, there were dozens of children running through it, and the basketball court was filled with teenagers tossing a ball back and forth.

"Maybe this wasn't a good idea," She whimpered, scared to get out of the car.

"It is," He replied tonelessly as he got out. She heard the trunk open and him rummaging around in it. Inhaling deeply, she opened the door and forced herself out, almost stumbling as her mind argued with her legs.

She joined him at the back of the car and accepted the props he handed to her wordlessly. All were variations of swords, some heavier than others, and she had trouble remembering their names. When he slammed the trunk closed she forced a smile she didn't feel in the least.

"As I said, a terrible liar," He commented dryly as he began walking. Given no choice but to follow, she allowed him to lead her into the park. The area itself was small, and it wasn't long before she saw a group of people going through stretches, Inu Yasha easily recognizable by his long hair.

"Hey guys!" He greeted, stopping his stretches and walking over. Shooting a glare at his older brother, he relieved Kagome of her burden and nodded at the group.

"This is the troupe," He commented proudly. Everyone had stopped what they were doing to stare at the newcomer, and Kagome felt like a tiny bug under a glass lens.

"Go introduce yourself. They don't bite. Well, be careful of Miroku, he's a pervert," He warned before turning to his brother. Kagome could tell he wanted to talk to his brother in private and walked over to the troupe, suddenly feeling shy.

"Ignore him, I'm nothing like what he says," Miroku replied in a honeyed voice, sidling up to Kagome and smiling brightly. His hair was pulled into a short ponytail at the base of his head. She was about to say something when she felt something on her backside and went completely still. The sounds of growling carried over the noise of the children playing and suddenly a solid thunk echoed over the field.

"Stupid hentai," The female muttered, lowering a kendo stick, and Kagome was surprised to realize at least one of the voices growling belonged to the woman that almost towered over her. "I'm Sango, and he _is_ a pervert. If he does anything inappropriate, hit him with something. There's plenty of variety to choose from, so it never gets boring."

The woman's bright smile and honest, dark brown eyes instantly relaxed the shy student, and she nodded, feeling much better. "I'm Kagome," She offered.

"This is my brother Kohaku," The taller woman offered, and the teenager, obviously as shy as she had felt a few minutes ago, waved back with a small smile. "It takes him awhile to get used to new people," Sango laughed.

"Is this everyone?" Kagome asked, looking at the motley assortment of performers. Or was it martial artists? Which could she could them without offending them? Would they all be as sensitive about it as Sesshoumaru?

"Yeah. Our lineup's been going through some changes lately. We're the core group though," Miroku offered from behind her. Kagome turned, hand immediately going to cover her bottom. The other man rubbed the back of his head -where he'd been struck by the kendo stick, she assumed- and laughed weakly.

"So what's the plan today?" Sango asked, and Kagome saw Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha had joined them.

"You and Kohaku will be fighting Miroku. We're going to work with Kagome today," Inu Yasha answered gruffly. Kagome assumed it was normal, because the others walked off and began stretching again. Inu Yasha dropped the practice swords and moved off to do his own stretches. Kagome began moving her body as she had been taught two days prior, twisting and contorting to warm up.

When she was finished, she was surprised when Sesshoumaru tossed two normal tessen at her.

"You will practice with those to save your props. Just one today," He told her, grabbing a practice sword from the pile. It was one of the heavier wooden ones, and fear trilled through her.

"We're going to be sparring?" She squeaked. He shook his head and his lips thinned into a frown.

"We're going to take you through a routine," Inu Yasha answered. "It'll look like sparring once you've got it down, but for now we're going in slow motion, no worries," He laughed. He began moving behind her, making her distinctly uncomfortable.

"What are you doing?" She snapped hotly, jumping away from him when his hands rested on her forearms and his back pressed against her.

"You don't know what you're doing, someone's got to show you," He snapped back. "Not like I want to be here," He muttered angrily.

"Inu Yasha," Sesshoumaru rumbled. He was glaring at his half brother, pale hazel eyes almost gold as the sun struck them.

"What? I'm just-"

The wooden practice sword flew through the air, and for a moment Kagome was scared it was going to hit her face. A rough, tan hand grabbed it effortlessly, and she turned back to Inu Yasha, who was glaring at his brother, loathing twisting his mouth into a grimace.

"Alright. You should have just done this to begin with," He huffed impatiently before moving away from Kagome as Sesshoumaru walked towards her. Confused, she looked to Sesshoumaru and was shocked when he moved behind her.

"I will show you what to do," He rumbled, right hand on her shoulder and suddenly spinning her around to face Inu Yasha. His hand moved to her forearm, almost touching her wrist, and his unbound hair began to spill over her shoulders. With barely any space between them, he began rumbling commands as Inu Yasha started to move.

"Step forward," He bit out. She followed his direction, and Inu Yasha brought the sword up. Sesshoumaru moved her arm, guiding it's movements.

It was an awkward, clumsy mockery of a sparring session, only made moreso by Kagome's awareness of the male at her back, pressing into her. Determined to at least pretend she didn't feel the solid warmth of his chest or her bottom nestled snugly the tops of his thighs, she focused on moving the fan as he commanded.

"This is going to take forever," Inu Yasha grumbled sullenly. Kagome flushed guiltily, wondering if Sesshoumaru was already rethinking his decision. Maybe at the end of the week he'd be the one to tell her she had no place with the troupe.

"Keep going," Sesshoumaru barked.

Her fan popped as it opened and closed, loud bursts of sound in contrapoint to her heavy breathing.

Step forward. Lunge. No, right foot first. Bring your arm straight down, it's going sideways. No, the fan needs to open this way.

The critiques were endless, and she was beginning to understand what Kujaku had meant when she said Sesshoumaru could suck the joy out of using her fans. By the time they had gone through the routine, half an hour had already passed and she was sweating furiously, completely oblivious as to how intimately she was pressed to her instructor.

"Again," Sesshoumaru instructed. Inu Yasha looked ready to protest, but Kagome nodded, eyes hard with determination. He sighed and moved back into position. The start was easier now that she didn't feel so awkward, and she gained confidence when she began watching Inu Yasha's movements and moving to counter them, Sesshoumaru guiding her silently. This time there were no commands, no orders.

She could feel her movements becoming smoother, and when she fumbled, Sesshoumaru's hold on her arm tightened momentarily, guiding it to the proper place. Inu Yasha kept his movements slow and unhurried, and by the time they were halfway through, she had limited her mistakes to one for every three or four moves.

When they finished, even Inu Yasha looked slightly impressed.

"Again."

He was a slave driver. Wanting a break, she almost turned to look up at him but he made a warning noise in his throat and his knee came up to her butt, spurring her into motion.

His hand was lighter on her arm, and she made noticeably fewer mistakes.

"Again," he stated when they finished the third try.

"Water," She bit out, pulling away from him and stalking over to her bag.

"I've got some in the cooler," Sango offered, and Kagome was surprised to see that the other three had been watching them, sitting and sipping their water quietly as Sesshoumaru had guided her through the routine.

"You're picking up the moves really quickly," Inu Yasha commented as he moved over to a small cooler Kagome hadn't noticed before and opened it. He tossed a bottle over his shoulder and she barely caught the slick bottle as it slid through her fingers.

"I feel so gross," She groaned, plopping onto the ground unceremoniously. "I can't wait to get home and get a shower."

"Didn't Sesshoumaru tell you? We always bring a change of clothes and hit the public baths after practice," Sango said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Kagome could swear her eye began twitching.

"No, he didn't," She growled, craning her neck to look up at the impassive slave driver that, as if to mock her, hadn't even broken a sweat.

"I think I've got an extra set of pants, but I don't have another shirt," The woman offered with a half smile.

"I have an extra in my car."

"Good, you should at least help since you didn't even consider warning me," Kagome growled as she looked away, pouring some of the cold water into her palm and running her hand over her face. "It is always like this?"

"It gets worse," Inu Yasha chuckled darkly. "Just wait until you get the routine down. It speeds up. You think you're sweating now? Just wait until you face off with Sesshoumaru. Speaking of, you ready cripple?" Inu Yasha demanded. "Give Kagome a break, she's earned it."

Sesshoumaru said nothing, only grabbing one of the long, slender practice swords and moving back into the open field. Inu Yasha followed and Sango scooted closer to Kagome.

"Watch really closely, they're amazing," She suggested. Kagome eyes were glued to the two men as they faced one another, both inclining their heads. When they lunged forward, Kagome couldn't stop the gasp that escaped as the practice swords clattered in a series of thrusts and parries.

"They're so fast," She murmured. Inu Yasha executed a flip, avoiding a blow to his knees. Having seen plenty of kendo matches in her life, she knew the difference between real martial arts and what the half brothers were doing. Both were adding tricks and tumbles to make the match more flashy, and it was nothing short of spectacular.

Inu Yasha's sword flew out of his hand and he brought his fist to punch Sesshoumaru, only to be stopped when the butt of Sesshoumaru's practice blade thunked solidly into his forehead.

"Bastard, it's for show, you don't actually have to hit me that hard," Inu Yasha snapped heatedly as he flipped backwards and to his sword, picking it up gracefully.

"Have they ever thought about doing choreography for movies?" Kagome asked, eyes still following the pair as they came together in a furious tangle.

"No," Miroku supplied "This is just to get them through school. Both are studying business. Once they get their degrees they'll probably leave this behind."

Kagome didn't want to think about how sad that was. They both were nothing short of showstopping, and they were good enough to work in movies, at least she thought so.

The fight ended, Sesshoumaru's foot on Inu Yasha's throat and sword pointed in his face.

"That was amazing," She breathed as they stood. Any other comments died in her throat when both men pulled off their shirts and tossed them aside. Swallowing thickly, she watched as they picked their swords back up and repeated the routine, insults flying as they repeated each step perfectly.

Sesshoumaru's sword was knocked into the air and he executed a neat, one handed backflip, catching it while it was still in midair. Once again she was reminded of something feline as his muscles rippled beneath his skin. Her fingertips began to itch and she wrapped both around the water bottle, grateful for something to hold onto as they continued.

"Want to practice some sword forms with me," Sango offered, giggling when Kagome jumped and upset the water bottle in her lap, spilling it all over her legs.

"S-sure," Kagome muttered, embarrassed to be caught staring at the half naked male. Standing and stretching, her legs already voiced their protest as she followed Sango to lowed down the small field and caught a kendo stick as it flew at her.

"I'm not as mean as Sesshoumaru is, no worries," Sango told her. "Just do what I do."

Glad for the distraction, Kagome latched onto the other woman's instructions like a lifeline. Sango's teaching style was definitely different from Sesshoumaru's, and it was with quiet encouragement that Kagome got through the first two forms.

After a time, Kagome noticed the sounds had changed, and distracted, turned to see all four males, shirtless and fighting with such intensity that she would have sworn they meant to hurt one another.

"Show offs," Sango muttered. "One man gets shirtless and all of a sudden all of them have to bare their chests."

"Don't forget pounding their fists on them and screaming," Kagome giggled.

"So, anything going on between you and Sesshoumaru? I didn't want to ask in front of any of them," She explained.

"No!" Kagome shouted, then quieted. "No, he's just my teacher," She finished in a mumble.

"That you can't stop staring at," Sango snorted.

"There's nothing going on," Kagome defended. Sango laughed and clapped a hand on Kagome's shoulder.

"I should warn you now, there's a no dating policy for the troupe. After Inu Yasha slept with Ayame, things got really unstable for awhile so Sesshoumaru instated the rule."

"Was Ayame part of the troupe?" Kagome asked, but Sango shook her head.

"No, but Inu Yasha's girlfriend Kikyo was. She and Kouga both split, so did a couple of the others, couldn't handle the drama. We're all that's left. I'm glad you decided to give it a try," Sango sighed, walking back to the cooler. Kagome followed and accepted another bottle of water gratefully, drinking from it so quickly some ran down her chin, tracing a cool path down her neck.

"So why a one week trial? Inu Yasha mentioned something about it," Sango asked.

"My mom doesn't want me doing anything like this," Kagome admitted, not wanting to think about her mother. "She wants me to focus more on school."

"Do you get good grades?"

"Yeah, I almost always rank in the top three. She just wants me to succeed and sees this as a distraction."

"Well, as long as you get good grades it shouldn't be a problem, right?" Sango asked, brows furrowed.

"As long as she doesn't find out," Kagome corrected. "She thinks Sesshoumaru is my study buddy."

Sango choked on her water and Kagome thumped her back, worried she'd said something stupid.

"Study buddy? Sesshoumaru? I know he takes school seriously, but study buddy?"

"Her words, not mine," Kagome groaned. "Sesshoumaru says it's not a lie since he's teaching me tessenjutsu. He also offered to help me with my actual schoolwork. I still feel pretty bad though."

"Hey," Sango said, tone prompting Kagome to look over at her. "Everyone needs something to keep them sane. My mom died when I was little and my dad died two years ago, leaving Kohaku and I with almost nothing. If I didn't have this, I would probably have gone crazy, Kohaku too. I go to school and this helps pay rent, but it also makes me happy."

"I didn't know," Kagome murmured. Sango shrugged indifferently, although Kagome could tell it bothered her.

"Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru were disowned by their dad. Miroku's mom ran off when he was little, and his dad's pretty useless. We lucked out when Sesshoumaru decided to start a troupe. It's decent pay for doing something we love."

Kagome was struck by the woman's sincerity, and for a moment she wondered if she could actually belong with them. All of them had devoted so much of themselves to the troupe, and she wouldn't be able to, not if she wanted to live up to her mother's expectations.

"I'm not putting you down," Sango said, interrupting her thoughts. "What I'm trying to say is, this is our escape from real life. Sure, it's turning it into showmanship, but we have an excuse to keep up with our training. I was ready to give up on kendo before Inu Yasha called offering me a shot at it. And the flashy stuff isn't so bad. Everyone has learned a lot since starting."

"I'm scared I won't be able to give my all," Kagome admitted in a small voice.

"You already are. The first time Sesshoumaru put me through a routine, I gave up halfway through. Even now I still take longer to memorize one than you do."

"I'm sure that's not true," Kagome rebutted.

"Oh, it is," Sango snorted, then shrugged. "It's just how people are. You're learning really quickly, and you're dealing with Sesshoumaru. If that's not giving it your all, I'm scared of what is."

The banging and clattering of wooden practice weapons stopped and the group of males walked over to them, most of them wiping their faces with their shirts. Sesshoumaru however, did no such thing. Kagome tried not to gape as he got closer, bending her neck to let her loose hair fall over her face. She could make him out from the corner of her eye, and immediately blushed and looked away, focusing on Sango.

His long hair had been plastered to his sweaty skin, forming whorls and paths along his chest, even trailing down to his stomach. His skin had been gleaming, contrasting sharply against the black locks. And she hadn't been able to resist looking lower, shocked to see a line of hair splitting the skin beneath his navel and trailing down into his pants.

When she looked up, Sango was eyeing her with an amused expression, eyebrow arched speculatively and a knowing smirk playing on her lips. Kagome smiled guiltily, mind replaying that thin line of dark hair leading into his pants.

"We're calling it a day," Inu Yasha announced, pulling the sweaty shirt back on. Aafraid to look behind her again, Kagome stood and nodded.

"Come on Kags," Sango urged. "You can ride with me. The menfolk can all ride together," Sango teased.

"Aw come on," Miroku whined. "All of us? The car-"

"It's just the four of you, you'll survive," Sango clipped.

"I need to grab that shirt from Sesshoumaru's car," Kagome interrupted timidly, afraid to get between the pair. Obviously there was a subtext there she wasn't getting, and she was reluctant to butt in.

"Come on guys," Inu Yasha sighed, gathering the practice swords. Sango carried her own and grabbed the cooler.

"Do not forget your fans," Sesshoumaru rumbled. Kagome turned to thank him and stopped when she saw him shrugging into his shirt. That dark line trailing into his pants was still visible and she thanked the gods that his face was still inside his shirt.

"I won't," She stammered, bending to grab her bag and the fans sitting on top of it. When she was standing again, she noticed Sango still smirking at her. Flushing brightly she forced herself to walk at a sedate pace beside the others, half listening as they chattered about ways to spice up their routines.

'No shirts,' She muttered inwardly, repressing a groan that was building in her throat.

"Hey, grab my stuff Miroku," Inu Yasha barked out as the others split off towards another spot in the parking lot.

"That was a good first day," Inu Yasha said. Kagome nodded. Sesshoumaru opened his trunk and pulled out a small duffel bag. He pinned it between his knee and the car and unzipped it,sorting through it for a second while Inu Yasha dumped the practice swords into the trunk. When he pulled out a white shirt and tossed it to her, she accepted it gratefully.

"Thanks," She squeaked, flushing brightly when his gaze swung to her. Nodding once she shot off, not even waiting for answer. Miroku and Kohaku were already on their way over and she waved once, not trusting her voice to say anything.

Sango's car was in the same shape Sesshoumaru's was. It was not a great car, and at least ten years old. But it worked well and when Kagome got in she saw that the floors were covered in candy wrappers and soda bottles.

"Kohaku and Miroku and I all share the car, so it gets messy," Sango apologized.

"It's no problem. A friend of mine's is much worse, and she smokes in hers too," Kagome admitted as she slid in and closed the door. Sango pulled out and began driving. Kagome looked behind them and saw Sesshoumaru's car following.

"So, nothing there huh?" Sango teased. "You sure? I could have sworn your eyes were going to pop out of your head for a moment there."

Kagome tried to answer. In fact, several pithy things ran through her head and she had picked one. But nothing was coming out.

"Thought so. It's not a problem. It would be good for him to get a girlfriend," Sango reasoned.

"He'd never-" Kagome started, earning a snort from Sango. "It doesn't matter anyway. He's the one that instated the rule about no dating," She finally countered.

Sango seemed to sober at her comment and Kagome repressed a sigh.

"You and Miroku, right?" She guessed.

"Are you going to tell him?" Sango bit out, suddenly suspicious.

"Why should I? I can understand Sesshoumaru being worried about the dynamics in the troupe, but you guys don't act like a couple while your practicing. Although, if your boyfriend grabs my butt again, I'm going to bludgeon him with something heavy," She added thoughtfully.

"Miroku's always been a pervert, but he doesn't do it unless he's around Sesshoumaru these days. We don't want Sesshoumaru getting suspicious, you know?"

"I understand," Kagome sighed. "I'm still going to hit him."

"Wouldn't ask for any less," Sango chuckled.

The rest of the drive, short as it was, consisted of telling each other about themselves, going over their classes and favorite bands. Sango didn't own a television because she hated them, something that relieved Kagome because she never watched tv shows. Kagome still had no idea what she was going to declare as her major, Sango had already set her sights on going into veterinary sciences.

"You're so sure of yourself," Kagome sighed, unable to keep from envying the other woman.

"I'm lucky," Sango agreed. "I've wanted to work with animals since before I could remember."

"I did too at one point," Kagome laughed.

"Most little girls do," Sango countered, laughing with her.

"I don't know. I've just been working so hard to succeed that I have no idea what to succeed at. So far everything's been easy. Study, take the test, get into a good school. Besides fans, I really have no idea what I'm good at."

"You still have a few months to think about it, and it's not like you can't change it later on," Sango offered helpfully as they got out of her car and walked into the bathhouse. They heard the slam of multiple doors and Sango looked over her shoulder.

"No peeking hentai," She called out.

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Miroku replied cheerily

The girls paid for their entrance and towels, then walked to the women's side, both heading for the cubbies where they could store their things. Sango seemed completely at ease with undressing, and Kagome supposed she visited public baths often. Her own home had a western bathtub and shower, so she hadn't been inside a sento in years. Trying not to feel self conscious, she stripped quickly and walked hurriedly to the showers.

Luckily there weren't that many women present, and the showers were deserted. Thanking Sango profusely for sharing her soap and shampoo, Kagome bathed quickly, glad to be free of the sweat that had dried and clung to her body and clothes, making her feel sticky.

When they slipped into the hot waters of the bath, Kagome was positive she had reached Nirvana.

"Oh kami, this is exactly what I needed," She groaned, slipping further down along the tile and allowing the heat to begin forcibly relax her muscles.

"Sesshoumaru has that affect," Sango snickered. Kagome flicked water at the other woman and leaned her head back against the edge of the tub.

"Sango?" Kagome asked, wondering if she was about to stick her foot in her mouth.

"What is it?"

Several minutes passed in silence and Kagome shook her head.

"Nothing," Kagome sighed, closing her eyes and trying to forget her curiosity.

"Is it about his arm?" Sango finally murmured. Blue eyes shot open and Kagome felt her skin flush guiltily.

"It doesn't matter," She started, but was stopped by Sango shrugging.

"It's natural to be curious. I know Sesshoumaru refuses to talk about it, and Inu Yasha won't mention it besides calling him a cripple. I think it's because he feels responsible for it in a way."

"Responsible?" Kagome gasped, moving back up the edge of the tub and leaning against it. Automatically her knees came to her chest and she hugged them tightly. She knew the brothers disliked each other, but Inu Yasha wouldn't do something to harm Sesshoumaru, especially not something that could have easily cost him his life.

"Not like that," Sango assured. "It was back when we first started up. Naraku, one of the other performers, was okay at first. Kind of strange, but he had a lot of good ideas for gimmicks, ways to attract more attention. Adding fire to the mix was his idea, and it really helped boost profits."

Kagome saw Sango turned inward, and wondered if she had made a mistake asking the woman.

"Naraku had a thing for Kikyo, he didn't make much of a secret of it either. He and Inu Yasha came really close to killing each other for awhile. We got hired for this huge dinner, some corporate big wig or another. Inu Yasha and Naraku were supposed to fight, but Inu Yasha was too angry, said he might actually get violent with Naraku, so Sesshoumaru stepped in. He was the only one that knew the routine."

Sango's hands were fists in the water, and Kagome reached to to grab one, rubbing the knuckles as Sango continued, voice growing hoarse.

"One minute they were fighting, and the next something happened. Sesshoumaru's arm seemed to burst into flame. Until Miroku rushed up on stage and tried to douse it the crowd thought it was intentional. There had to be some sort of fuel on the gauntlet, because it took him three or for minutes to put the fire out.

"Sesshoumaru was just quiet, but his eyes were so wide, and he was biting his lip, blood running down his chin. Miroku tried to get the gauntlet off, but it was too hot and burned him. At some point the idiots watching called for an ambulance. By the time one arrived, Sesshoumaru had gone into some sort of shock. He was calm, answering questions like it was nothing. They cut away from the costume, but the gauntlet was made of leather and chainmail with padding underneath."

Sango looked ready to be ill and Kagome squeezed her hand.

"You don't have to do this. I'm sorry I made you remember something so awful," She murmurred guiltily. But Sango was shaking her head and inhaled, the exhale halting as a shudder ran through her body.

"I haven't talked about it to anyone. Not even Miroku," Sango admitted in a firm voice. "They finally got the gauntlet cut away. The padding had fully burned, and there were spots where it had melted, which was our first clue. Cotton wouldn't have burned like that, not unless someone had soaked it in something. But when they pulled it away," Here the woman paused, voice choking on the next words for a moment before forcing them out like a jet of hot steam. "Flesh was coming with it. The whole time he was so quiet, watching them as if it was someone else's arm.

"They stopped when they realized how bad the burns were and got him to the hospital. The doctors said there was no way he would ever use it again and that there was a good chance it would do nothing but cause him pain. He told them to cut it off."

Kagome gasped, eyes widening in horror as she imagined Sesshoumaru looking at his arm and then telling some faceless doctor to take it.

"The burns had gotten above his elbow, but higher up they weren't as severe, that's why he's got those weird scars on the, the-" She stopped, and Kagome guessed -correctly- that the other woman couldn't refer to what was left of the mangled limb.

"I'm so sorry," Kagome whispered. "I shouldn't have asked. I didn't mean to make you go through all of that again." Tears were stinging her eyes and coursing down her cheeks, making it hard to see Sango. The other woman was trembling, her hand clenching even more tightly.

"I've never been so scared in my life. I saw Miroku trying to put it out and screaming when it burned him. I feel so awful because I was so worried about him and he wasn't even the one on fire," Sango sobbed, tears escaping. Ignoring bath etiquette and the stares they were receiving, she moved to put an arm around Sango's shoulder and squeezed tightly.

"It's okay. You don't have to feel bad for being worried about the one you love. It was one of those crazy situations where you don't know what's going on. It's normal and perfectly fine that you worried about Miroku," Kagome assured her, making small shushing noises as Sango cried herself out.

She was almost grateful for the woman's breakdown, because those honest brown eyes weren't looking at her and her own tears. The idea of what happened, the images Sango's description evoked made her stomach churn dangerously, and had it not been for the fist sized lump in her throat she would be afraid of vomiting.

Eventually Sango sniffed hard and pulled away, bloodshot eyes meeting Kagome's.

"Thanks. I haven't been able to talk about it to anyone, and it's just been sitting there. Every time Miroku touches me I can't help but feel the burned patch of his skin and I just feel so guilty. I froze. We had prepared for something like that, but when it happened-"

"Hey, accidents happen, okay? You got scared, and in your place, I'm not sure if I'd be able to do any differently. I can't imagine how frightening it was to even watch," She admitted.

"I still don't think it was an accident," Sango hissed bitterly. "I think that bastard wanted to hurt Inu Yasha. Cotton burns, it doesn't melt. The padding was melted on the inside, and the cotton hadn't burned away around it. It had to be cotton wrapped on something, and it had to have been soaked in fuel. We tried finding the bastard, but he just vanished. The police wrote it off as an accident. If I ever see him again I'm going to kill him," She muttered.

Kagome wasn't sure she could blame her. Unable to clear her head of the images, she shook it and hugged herself tightly.

"I think I'm going to go back to the shower. I just need-"

"Cold?" Sango asked, finishing her sentence. Kagome nodded tightly. "Me too."

Both women got out of the bath and padded silently to the showers. Neither touched the hot water knobs, instead letting freezing cold water pour over their skin.

* * *

When the women walked out of the bathhouse, Sesshoumaru could tell something had changed. It wasn't that he suspected an altercation, because Sango had her arm thrown over Kagome's shoulder and both women looked like they were depending on the other to hold her up. The loaned pants were too long for Kagome and drug the ground as she shuffled next to Sango. His white shirt was too big for her everywhere, although her breasts tinted it and he was surprised to see she wasn't wearing a bra. It would have been an enticing sight had it not been for her red nose and bloodshot eyes.

"Everything alright girls?" Miroku asked. Sango nodded, and sneezed once.

"Just telling stories," The taller woman remarked.

"You still want to grab a bite to eat? If you're not feeling up to it-" Inu Yasha started.

"No, we're fine. Aren't we Kags?"

Kagome nodded weakly, eyes still focused on the ground.

"Girl stuff," She mumbled.

He did not want to know. Anything that could cause such a reaction in not only the novice martial artist but a woman he had seen endure severe physical discomfort was not something he needed to hear. Ignoring the sniffs and sneezes, he got into his car and waited. Miroku and Kohaku joined Sango in hers, and Inu Yasha got in the front seat of his car. Kagome slid in silently, pulling her knees to her chest as if she were cold.

"What the hell happened?" Inu Yasha demanded harshly, glaring back at Kagome.

"We talked."

"I got that. What about? I've never seen her act like that," He snapped.

"Nothing," Kagome protested weakly, arms tightening around her knees.

"Didn't look like 'nothing' to me," He argued.

"You can ask her," Kagome offered. "It was really personal, and I don't want to tell her secret."

Inu Yasha turned back and faced forward, crossing his arms angrily over his chest. Sesshoumaru glanced in the rear view mirror, glimpsing her staring out the window blankly, her mind focused inward. The short ride to the restaurant was silent, something that he normally would have enjoyed. However his half brother was projecting his anger and suspicion so forcefully that it was a palpable thing, and the onna's sadness was pulsing dourly in the back seat, rubbing against his consciousness unpleasantly.

Once they reached the restaurant, Inu Yasha got out and slammed the door behind him, shaking the whole car. Resolving not to ask, he got out and walked away from the vehicle. Inu Yasha was already over at Sango's heap, finger pointing wildly in Kagome's general direction.

Within seconds his hand dropped as Miroku explained something. Whatever it was, it took the wind out of his half brother. Visibly slumping, Inu Yasha came back over, shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose, muttering something under his breath.

"I'll meet you guys inside," He said as he headed back for the car where Kagome still sat blankly. Sesshoumaru gave a one shouldered shrug, looking only long enough to see Inu Yasha open the back door and crouch in front of it looking apologetic and tired.

He walked inside, following closely behind the others. All of them looked vaguely weary, as if the short car ride had been a ten hour drive. A waitress showed them to a booth and sat them.

Without Inu Yasha present, none of the others seemed inclined to talk. Or perhaps it was the mood. They sat in uncomfortable silence for several minutes, waiting for their drinks. When Inu Yasha showed up, he was almost grateful. Almost. Kagome still looked as if she had been crying, but she smiled tremulously at everyone before taking a seat next to him.

"So, routines. Ideas. Anything," Inu Yasha muttered.

"Can you guys tell me more about what each of you do?" Kagome asked. "I saw Miroku using a staff and Sango and Kohaku using swords, but Sango mentioned tricks."

All at once the group started talking, laughing forcefully, falsely, as they latched onto the conversation like drowning men.

"It's not practical as a weapon, but I can use buugeng, it's sort of, well," Sango started, then stopped, unable to explain. "I can show you Thursday if you'd like," She offered.

"That would be awesome," Kagome answered enthusiastically. "Kujaku was explaining them to me, although I've never seen anyone use it."

"I use kama and a rope dart," Kohaku said, earning stunned looks from Miroku and Sango both. "Miroku and I have been working on a routine with them."

That was news to him, although he held back from saying anything when Kagome's eyes began to shine.

"Could you explain it?"

Like that, the tangible darkness that had been hovering vanished, and everyone relaxed. He watched in awe as Kagome drug everyone into the conversation, even attempting to pull him in again and again despite his resistance until someone had an idea for a new routine.

Perhaps because she was not a martial artist she brought new ideas to the table, quite literally. Inu Yasha's idea morphed into something bigger before his very eyes, and he was surprised to be offering his own suggestions from time to time. Food was ordered and came, consumed absentmindedly as everyone chattered excitedly around him.

Lunches, indeed, any of their training sessions, had never been like this. He only attended the traditional lunch after because he paid and wrote the costs off as part of their business expenses. But now he felt drawn in, almost content as ideas flew back and forth.

"I think it would be beautiful if we set it up with the chain around Kohaku's wrists to start with, like a prisoner. He can swing them to unwind it and pull a few tricks as he does. It gives a solid start to it, you know? Like a prisoner being presented and breaking free," Kagome offered up, and everyone latched onto the idea with enthusiasm. Kohaku nodded, blushing even as he smiled.

More theatrics. He knew he was moving further away from what he loved and turning it into something he would probably end up hating, but it was business, and it wasn't for much longer. And, despite his own worries, her ideas had merit. The only stumbling block was the fact that she didn't know what each person was capable of, and she had no ideas concerning herself.

"What about you?" Kohaku asked, voicing his thought.

"I don't know. I'm not that good, and even so, I have no idea how to incorporate a fan into that."

"You and Kohaku are of a size," Sesshoumaru observed. "With the proper costuming and masks, one would hardly no the different. Have the capture scene be fought with a fan."

"Uh, no offense Sesshoumaru, but Kagome has boobs," Inu Yasha pointed out. "Kohaku doesn't."

"Pervert," Kagome sputtered, smiling gratefully when Sango reached across the booth and smacked the long haired student.

He had noticed. In the chill air of the restaurant he was having a problem not noticing.

"A sarashi," He quipped.

"What about their hair? Kagome's is a lot longer and darker," Sango commented.

"A scarf or bandanna. If I braid it tightly enough, I can pin it to my head and hide it under a scarf. No one will ever know the difference, and warriors did wear them, didn't they?" Kagome told them, smiling when the others nodded. "Although I don't know about the costume idea. I mean, wouldn't armor be heavy?"

"We don't use real armor you idiot," Inu Yasha snapped, still angry about being smacked. Miroku made an indignant noise, choking on it as Sesshoumaru's hand shot up and behind Kagome to whack Inu Yasha solidly on the back of his head.

"What the fuck was that for?"

"She is still new and does not know our methods. Speaking to her in such a manner will discourage questions," He replied tonelessly before taking a sip of his drink.

"You didn't have to hit so fucking hard."

"Language, imbecile," Sesshoumaru reminded him. Inu Yasha looked around and saw several tables of people staring at the large booth with disapproval or barely disguised curiosity.

"I'm sorry," The younger brother muttered, glowering across Kagome at his older brother. "So does this mean you'll stick with us?"

The table went silent and all eyes focused on the woman sitting next to him. He allowed himself to watch her as he awaited her answer. For a moment she seemed to battle with herself, then smiled at everyone and shrugged helplessly.

"I'm in," She breathed.

The others all gave a loud cheer, but he settled for an approving nod, one she caught and returned.

* * *

"This is so not fair," Kagome whined. "Everyone else got to go home and relax."

"You do not have the experience they do," He retorted as he watched her go through another form. She was on the fifth form and doing well. Her body hadn't forgotten the movements she had been putting it through every day, although every time her mind got involved she seemed to mentally stumble and forget what to do next.

"But my legs hurt. I can't bring them up that high when they're sore."

"Just do it," Inu Yasha called from his room. "If you don't, he'll just make you regret it later."

"Jerk," Kagome muttered.

"Bring your leg up as high as you can," He commanded sharply. Her leg came up to a little over her waist and he knew she wasn't even trying. Tired of her constant moaning and whining and sniping, he moved over to her and grabbed her slim ankle and pulled up.

Not expecting the move, she fell back, arms flailing as she tried to hold her balance. He let go of the ankle and watched her fall back, landing on her back with a loud thump.

"What was that for?" She demanded.

"I do not accept halfhearted attempts. Get up."

"We've been doing this for hours. Let's just call it a night," She cajoled.

"Get up."

"Might as well do what he says," Inu Yasha's voice advised through the walls. Grunting, Kagome pulled herself to her feet.

"Bring your leg up."

She lifted her leg, tilting her body back for balance. He wrapped his hand around her foot, surprised at how small it was. He began lifting it slowly, allowing her time to correct her posture as he continued lifting it by infinitesimal increments.

When he had her foot to his chest, he stopped and held it there.

"This hurts," She sighed.

He wanted to say too bad, but kept silent, knowing he'd been tormenting her all evening. And she had taken it, which surprised him. Even the bastard would have given in and left.

"How long do I have to do this?"

Silence. He focused on a spot on the wall over her shoulder

"Sesshoumaru," She whined. He moved back and dropped her foot.

"Try it now."

"Fine, sadist," She muttered mutinously, eyes narrowed and mouth pulled into a frown.

She stepped forward, brought her leg up in a kick, keeping her foot high as she turned, her fan snapping open. Her foot came down, the fan clicked shut.

"I did it," She said in wonder, eyes widening.

"Congratulations, only took you an hour," A voice called through the walls.

"Shut up Inu Yasha," She shouted, then turned back to Sesshoumaru. "Thank you."

"It is enough for tonight," He replied tonelessly, nodding once. She looked ready to jump up and down, and he wasn't entirely sure how she managed to contain it.

"Want to celebrate?" She asked, voice breathless with excitement.

"And you called me a pervert?" Inu Yasha shouted.

"I-you," She sputtered, face turning bright red. He watched, amused, a she stomped down the hall and slammed open Inu Yasha's door. Her body disappeared into the room, while Inu Yasha yelled about privacy and nosy women before the shouts abruptly turning into girlish screams. Unable to resist, he walked to the door and only barely managed to hold in his laughter.

Kagome had Inu Yasha pinned beneath her, her legs straddling his back while she held two long, thick wefts of his hair in her hands like reins.

"Say it," She chuckled darkly.

"Fuck you, get off of me!" The man beneath her yelped.

"Say it," She demanded, tugging on his hair.

"Sesshoumaru get her the hell off of me!"

"I would do as she says little brother," He advised, only just barely able to keep the mirth from his voice.

"Fuck. Mercy, mercy!" Inu Yasha screeched.

"That's not iii-it," Kagome sing songed.

"What? What the hell am I supposed to say?" He sputtered angrily.

"I am a bigger pervert than Miroku and Kagome-sama-"

"Kagome-_sama_?" Was the angry reply, a screech tearing itself from his throat when she tugged on his hair again.

"Kagome-sama is a kind, forgiving, innocent woman."

"No way!"

Her hands tightened and the squirming body beneath her twitched. Sesshoumaru watched the whole thing feeling more than a little vindicated.

"I am a bigger pervert than Miroku," Inu Yasha began mumbling.

"And?" Kagome demanded.

"And you're worse than the both of us combined!" Inu Yasha shouted as he found leverage and bucked her off, wincing when her hands yanked and then let go of his hair. "Seriously, what the hell?" Inu Yasha demanded as he lunged from the room and into the hall past Sesshoumaru. He was rubbing his scalp gently with both hands as if checking for bald spots.

"You jerk! I meant ice cream or dango or something. Not, not-that!" She muttered, standing and stalking past the both of them. "Unlike you, I'm still a virgin! I don't go around sleeping with random people!"

"What?" Inu Yasha stammered, eyes widening. "Aren't you twenty?"

"What of it?" She challenged hotly. "You know my situation, mom doesn't approve of me having a boyfriend and I'll be damned if I sleep with someone to just get rid of it."

"Oh, I, uh-You know, maybe you and Sesshoumaru should go for dango or ice cream or what the fuck ever. I'm sorry I said that shit, okay?"

"You often put your foot in your mouth," Sesshoumaru observed.

"Shut up," Inu Yasha growled as he stomped back into his room and slammed the door shut.

"What a jerk! Is your father an asshole too?" Kagome demanded, then immediately slapped her hands over her mouth, blue eyes widening almost comically. "I'm sorry. Don't answer that, okay? I don't know what's wrong with me," She groaned.

"You've had a long day," Sesshoumaru offered, giving her an easy out.

"Yes. A huge, amazingly exhausting day. But I still want something sweet. My treat. Dango or ice cream?"

"It is your accomplishment," He began, watching her slip her shoes on.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't have gotten it if you hadn't out-stubborned me," She chirped happily, waiting for him as he pushed his feet into his sneakers. Fairly certain that wasn't a word, he didn't bother to correct her.

"Ice cream will be quicker," He sighed. "There is a parlor close by."

"Awesome, see? Not so hard, was it?" She teased as they walked out. He watched her movements carefully and saw her knees shaking ominously. He led her to the elevator and pushed the button. When nothing happened for several minutes he gave up and turned to her.

She looked exhausted despite her enthusiasm.

Suppressing a sigh, he turned and hunched.

"What are you doing?"

"I will carry you. Doubtless you will fall otherwise."

"But-"

"Do you doubt my ability?" He demanded sharply. He could practically hear her protests, but was gratified when she said nothing, choosing instead to push his hair over his shoulder. When she scrambled up him, he refrained from saying anything. Her legs locked around his waist and her hands trembled as they clung to his shoulders.

"You don't have to do this," She sighed. "I can make the stairs perfectly well on my own."

He made a derisive noise in his throat and began walking. She barely weighed anything at all, and he was able to take the steps with ease.

"Why do you always leave your hair down?" She asked when he had reached the third floor.

"It is too much of a bother to try putting it up," He grudgingly admitted.

She shifted around on his back, and he was afraid of dropping her for a moment as she gathered the thick mass of his hair and started to fiddle with it.

"What are you doing?" He asked, pausing before taking another step.

"Two seconds," She murmured as she continued whatever it was she was doing. In a minute, a solid braid was draped over his shoulder and hanging down his chest.

"I didn't want to accidentally yank it or anything," She offered before wrapped her arms loosely around his neck. "Plus it's absolutely gorgeous. Asian people have such beautiful hair," She sighed.

"I was under the impression you are Japanese," He counted, beginning to walk down the steps.

"Half, my dad was from England originally. His parents came over for one reason or another, mom doesn't really talk about it. They didn't approve of him marrying her. I don't remember ever meeting them, although mom says they came to the hospital when I was born."

He remembered her saying Japanese culture was only half hers, but he'd forgotten she'd mentioned her father's origin. It explained the waves in her hair and pale skin. And her eyes. Blue eyes that cycled through the spectrum of shades with her moods.

"Why do you and Inu Yasha grow your hair out?" She finally asked.

He hesitated, but figured it couldn't hurt to tell her. She didn't know his family or anything about them, and probably never would.

"My father wears his long. It was his way of flaunting power."

"Flaunting power?" She asked, tone curious and nothing more.

"He is a businessman. Most frown on his choice, but he is important enough they have to take him seriously." At least that's what he'd always thought. Surely there could be no other reason for it. Not with the sort of looks and comments it spurred. She said nothing more, and he wondered why she wasn't asking more questions. Her arms tightened for a moment and then relaxed.

"Sango said your father disowned you," She murmured.

"He did not appreciate my brother and I fighting," He replied stonily, grateful to be reaching the bottom floor. He was going to drop her, sore muscles be damned. His father was one of the last things he wanted to talk about. But her arms were tightening and her legs were squeezing him more tightly. Even when his arm dropped away from her leg and he straightened his spine she clung to him.

"I'm sorry it happened. You're a good man, and you deserve better than that," She murmured.

"You know nothing about me."

"I know you carried me down the stairs so I wouldn't break my neck and that you drive me home so I don't get hurt walking alone," She countered, her words muffled as she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

She had to be a virgin. And completely innocent. Or else she was intentionally pressing her mouth against the most sensitive spot on his neck, which just wasn't possible.

Ice cream. Yes, something cold. Anything cold.

"Can you walk?" He asked, voice rougher than he intended.

She slid off of his back and came to the front of him ad took his hand between hers. When she finally looked up at him, he was taken aback by the tears filling her eyes and streaking down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry. I keep saying stupid things today and making people remember things they don't want," She sniffed.

"It is nothing," He replied gruffly, distinctly uncomfortable with her outburst. What was he supposed to do? Crying women had never been his forte, and he had never wanted to fix that. Shock lanced through him when she dropped his hand and moved to hug him, arms tight around his middle.

"It's not nothing," She retorted. "I keep putting my foot in my mouth with people I want to be friends with."

"It is not something that bothers me overmuch," He answered honestly. After all, in six more months, as long as the business wasn't ruined, he'd be back in his father's good graces, although he'd get his own apartment. A nice one. With a working elevator.

She pulled away and eyed him speculatively, obviously doubting his word.

"Do you still want ice cream?" He asked, hoping she would allow the topic change. She sniffled again and nodded, her arms dropping back to her sides. She followed his lead as he walked from the complex and onto the sidewalk. The silence was oppressive and he had a feeling she was waiting for him to say something.

"Thank you," He finally admitted.

"For what?" She snorted, obviously still angry with herself.

"Braiding my hair. It gets tedious dealing with it. I have considered cutting it off," He started.

"Oh please don't," She gasped. He looked over to her, pleased to see her self loathing replaced with utter shock.

"It is too much a hassle-"

"What days do you have school?" She demanded.

"Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday," He answered, not understanding where she was going.

"Me too. I promise to pull it back for you at school and for practice if you promise not to cut it," She pleaded, bringing her hands up to her lips in mockery of a prayer.

It bothered him that he was actually considering her deal.

"And when schedules change at the end of the semester?"

"We'll figure it out. Please don't cut your hair, it's so pretty," She cajoled plaintively, her eyes reflecting the light of the streetlights and blinking signs around them.

"Do you really have school on those days?" He asked.

"Tuesdays too," She added, nodding. "Please?"

She was going to be the death of him, he was sure of it.

"I accept your terms," He mumbled, shocked when she flew forward and hugged him again.

"You won't regret it," She promised.

He already did.

Unable to undo his decision, especially since he had just pulled her from her own spiraling self loathing, they continued their walk to the parlor. Which was closed.

"This sucks," She sighed, staring at the darkness beyond the glass doors. He was just beginning to think there might be a god on his side when she visibly brightened and tugged on his hand, pulling him down the sidewalk. He followed, smirking when she stopped in front of a small convenience store.

"They always have at least some ice cream," She reasoned, pulling him inside. The clerk mumbled a hello that she returned brightly, tugging him along as she began perusing aisles. On the back wall a small freezer was decorated with ice cream logos and she opened it excitedly.

"Choices," She murmured, staring down at the plethora of prepacked cones and popsicles. He reached past her and grabbed an ice cream sandwich, and within seconds she had grabbed the same. He began to feel something like a puppy when she tugged his shirtsleeve and led him to the counter. The clerk didn't even look at them as he rang up the ice cream and took the woman's money. Change clattered on the counter and she scooped it up and shoved it carelessly in her pocket.

She had to be bi-polar. There was no other explanation for her sudden humming as they walked back outside. The wrapper tore under her hands and he watched as she swept her tongue up the long side of the middle.

He began expertly tearing open his own wrapper, noting she watched curiously.

"You know, if you grew your nails out a little, you could file them to points and make it easier to open stuff," She observed idly as he took a small bite of the outside layer of cake on one side. He scoffed, or tried to. It was difficult not to smirk when the point of her chin was dotted with vanilla ice cream.

"It would not be practical," He rumbled, watching her licking at the ice cream in the center. "Why did you get an ice cream sandwich when you only want the ice cream?" He mused aloud.

"Oh I'll eat the cookie," She assured him. "It's just a weird habit. If something's layered, I like eating the layers separately," She informed him blithely.

He decided not to tell her that how one ate supposedly reflected how they made love. He was having enough trouble dealing with the fact that the little snippet from his psychology class had popped into his mind at all. Shaking his head, he tried to ignore that he had been doing the same thing, only he was consuming the cookie first.

"I really like everyone," Kagome admitted. "I was scared they'd all hate me or think I wasn't good enough, but everyone's gone out of their way to make me feel welcome."

He nodded his agreement. Everyone had gone out of their way to make her feel welcome, and he wondered if they were as drawn to her strangeness as he was. Even Kohaku, notorious for being painfully shy of strangers, had spoken to her and been drawn into her conversation.

"When is your last class tomorrow?" He found himself asking.

"About two," She replied, beginning to peel the cookie away from what was left of the ice cream center.

"Mine ends at three," He offered.

"Is that an offer?" She teased, the limp chunk of cookie held between her teeth, a parody of her sticking her tongue out at him.

"Perhaps."

"You might get tired of me," She warned.

Somehow he doubted it.

"I can wait at the diner," She said at last.

"I'll pick you up there," He replied.

"Can't wait!"

* * *

A/N: This chapter's song is Gai Barone's The Moth (Ticon remix). I think it's an acquired taste, so if you like it, awesome. Oh, and the food bit, that was a randumb piece of knowledge imparted to me in psych class. I happen to think it's true, after some testing. Ahem.

Shitsuki-Sama and CreARTive, thank you both for your reviews and encouraging words. After coming back from Alchemy and finding out my mother's endoscopy results showed cancerous growths, my head was in a screwy place. The reviews have made me want to keep working on this.

CreARTive, thank you so much for your words. I was actually really worried no one would get what I was talking about, and I can't explain how incredibly happy it made me feel to know I conveyed the peace of burning well enough that another pyro got it and liked it.

After this chapter I will -hopefully- have a new beta for this story. I'm posting to dokuga for one and hopefully someone will take it up and rip it apart and help me make it a better piece.


	6. Effectual

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 6: Effectual**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the rights to Inu Yasha, more's the pity. I would have made that series a thousand times more awkward than it was. I also own no rights the Thrillseekers or M.I.K.E.

* * *

Kagome was on top of the world even though her whole body felt as if it had been stuffed into a blender and then pounded like mochi. Her mother hadn't commented on the late hour when she had walked in the night before, and had only reminded Kagome that they were welcome to come study at the shrine anytime.

Sleep had hit hard and fast, and she felt well rested when she woke. The sun was shining and she felt like small animals would come dancing in from the background at any second, singing some obnoxiously bright and happy song that she would be compelled to lead. She texted Sesshoumaru to see where he was and found him in the library. He hadn't said a thing when she brushed his hair and braided it. He'd only reminded her about their plans and she'd had to leave for her first class.

Her pop quiz had been a breeze and her second professor had handed her back her paper with a smile and an A.

Between her second and third class everything screeched to a halt. Kujaku and Kouga both approached, both looking extremely unhappy. Steeling herself for what was coming, she was unsurprised when they launched into a lecture about the half brothers.

"Kagome, I know you're a really good person," Kujaku began. "But you haven't dealt with someone like Sesshoumaru before."

"He's an ass," Kouga snapped impatiently, earning a nod from Kujaku. "He doesn't care about fire at all. He's only out to make money and keep his stupid little business going. It's all business to him," He told her. "I worked with him, I know. He doesn't care about the people in his troupe, they're all just numbers."

"Sesshoumaru doesn't help people unless there's some sort of gain for himself," Kujaku told her as she sat down on the bench next to her. The older student's hand rested on her knee and her dark eyes were sympathetic.

"Kagome, we're just looking out for you. He may be pretending to help you, but he's after something else," Kouga bit out, voice harsh.

"What would he be after?" Kagome asked them, growing more and more uncomfortable. "It's just some kata. It's not like I'm some amazing martial artist with something to offer," She reasoned.

"Sweetie, Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha both are known for being ladies men," Kujaku began delicately.

"Look, I know Inu Yasha got drunk and slept with Ayame. I know he screwed up his relationship with his girlfriend. I know Ayame screwed up hers with you," Kagome bit out, feeling defensive of the half brothers. "But they're not bad people. So they're rough around the edges? You guys are too, and you're both wonderful."

This was said without the least bit of spite or sarcasm, but her friends' faces darkened at the comparison.

"Kagome, Sesshoumaru is just going to use you," Kujau started again.

"What has Sesshoumaru done besides be a slave driver?" Kagome snapped hotly, suddenly feeling queer. Her whole body chilled and she moved her knee from Kujaku's hand. "I know he pushes people. I feel like I've been worked over by a steamroller. But what else?" She demanded.

"He's an insensitive, uncaring asshole," Kouga snapped. "That should be enough."

"You know how many people have said that about you?" Kagome asked him, brow quirking. "Look, I'm becoming friends with them. There's no ulterior motive here. If they want something besides someone to teach, then that's their problem," Kagome assured them. "Which is beside the point. Neither of them have any interest in me."

Kouga looked ready to say something, then stopped, his teeth clicking together and beginning to grind. Kujaku was shaking her head sadly.

"Kagome, you're too trusting," She started.

"And you're too cynical," The younger woman accused. "Is it so hard to believe they might want to be friends?"

"Do you want a friend like Inu Yasha? Look what he did to me," Kouga snorted. "And when I told Sesshoumaru I wanted him gone from the troupe, Sesshoumaru told me to suck it up or I could leave, like I'd done something wrong."

"They were disowned by their dad. They're all each other has left," She reasoned. "Even if they act like they hate each other, they don't, okay?"

"So after a week you know them better than I do? I've known them for most of my life. Trust me, they hate each other."

"Well maybe they've changed," She replied stubbornly. Kouga snorted once and shook his head.

"Look, we're just trying to look out for you. If you want to jump into that mess, fine. We'll be waiting when you're finished being a number. Maybe," He ground out, turning on his heel and stalking away.

"He's just mad. We'll be there when it goes south," Kujaku sighed.

"Is it so improbable that they might just want to hang out with me and teach me?" Kagome asked, leaning back against the bench and turning her face to the sky. "I know I've only known them a week, but Sesshoumaru isn't a bad guy. Yeah, he can be a real jerk sometimes, Inu Yasha too. I don't really blame them though. We've all got families and security. They don't have any of that."

"Kouga said they were disowned because they couldn't get along," Kujaku observed.

"Well, it seems like it's fixing it. Inu Yasha is helping Sesshoumaru show me the forms. They fight and call each other names, but it seems like that's just their way of getting along, you know? And they're not bad guys. Both have helped me with stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" Kujaku asked stiffly.

Kagome shrugged, hoping to evade answering, but the woman's hard eyes piercing through her killed her chances.

"I met Sango, one of the troupe members. I was rude and asked about Sesshoumaru's arm. She started crying when she talked about it, mostly because she still hadn't told anyone how much it scared her. Inu Yasha saw that she was upset afterward and went off on me a little. When he found out that it wasn't really because of me, he apologized. He's really protective of them. And I think he really regrets the Kouga thing."

"Why would you say that?" Kujaku asked, doubt obvious.

"Call it a feeling. I accused him of sleeping around and he clammed up. It was like I'd slapped him."

Kujaku sighed and leaned back.

"There's no rebuilding that bridge."

"I know, but it's not like he's just strolling along whistling a happy tune," Kagome reasoned, trying not to be angry at the almost grateful way Kujaku had made her declaration. "He made a mistake, one that didn't involve me in any way. What kind of person would I be if I judged and punished him for it?"

Kujaku was silent, lost in thought as she gazed up at the blue sky.

"What about Sesshoumaru?"

It was Kagome's turn to be silent and stare at the sky.

"He's different. I don't know what he was like before his accident. But he's determined, and he drives himself as hard as he pushes me. I guess he just doesn't want to waste his time teaching someone who won't put their all into it. It can't be easy adjusting to life suddenly being different, especially when everyone seems determined to treat you like you're incapable."

"He was always a rude, driven asshole," Kujaku said into the silence.

"He's not always an asshole,' Kagome reasoned. "Just sometimes. Usually he's pretty nice, to me at least."

Kujaku swung her eyes to the young woman next to her and wanted to bury her face in her hands. Kagome was gazing dreamily at the sky above her, a small half smile playing on her face.

"We did a burn together,' She finally said. "It was after he started explaining the kata to me. Kujaku, if you'd seen it, you'd understand. He has a lot he can teach me. I can grow as a dancer and maybe make another friend."

After years of being too busy for friendships, the budding relationships with Sesshoumaru and the troupe were as important to her as the ones she had formed with the pack. If she had to choose, she was pretty sure she'd give up on trying to form relationships altogether. Despite being new at forming such bonds, she was certain real friends didn't make you pick and choose between them.

"I'm not asking you to be friends with him or Inu Yasha. But please don't keep trying to warn me off of them. You know how well that works."

Kujaku snorted. It was she that had encouraged Kagome's rebellious streak by convincing her to sneak out and to start playing with fire. It seemed karma wasn't wasn't any time with her punishment.

"I'll hold my peace," Kujaku agreed reluctantly. "But if either of them hurt you, I'll bury them."

Kagome's tinkling laugh filtered into the air, spreading through the commons area.

"They won't," She said with such confidence it rocked the older woman, and she was thankful the oblivious onna was staring at the sky and couldn't see her expression.

* * *

Hey asshole," A voice called out. Intent on simply ignoring it, and the speaker, he continued walking towards his next class.

"Cripple, have you gone deaf too?" Inu Yasha shouted, startling many of the other students. Knowing if he ignored it, the family stain would only get worse he stopped and waited. Inu Yasha caught up, glaring at him for several seconds.

"What do you want?" He finally asked.

"Kagome's friends, the other pyros, they were warning her off of us," Inu Yasha finally admitted.

"Did she tell you this?"

"Well, I saw her and then the others joined her, one of 'em was Kouga." At the mention of his former best friend his voice trailed off and Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes.

"You eavesdropped." It wasn't a question.

"Well yeah. Look, they're telling her all sorts of shit-"

"I know. She won't listen," Sesshoumaru supplied confidently before beginning to walk again. Inu Yasha followed, expression thoughtful, a look Sesshoumaru wasn't used to seeing on him.

"They kept saying we're just out to use her, and she said we weren't. I mean, she was so confident in us," He sighed. "Is that what we're doing?"

"No. She knows the terms of her employment and her lessons. If her employment ends, then she'll go on with her life. If she's intelligent, she'll be thankful for the knowledge she walks away with," Sesshoumaru rebutted. "Do not tell her."

"I know," Inu Yasha groaned. "It still feels wrong though."

"Once we have access to our accounts once again, they'll be rewarded for their loyalty," Sesshoumaru quipped.

"It's not that. It just feels like we shouldn't hide this."

"It is none of their concern. Employment ends. This is temporary for all of them," Sesshoumaru reminded him. "They all have bigger dreams than making fools of themselves and their craft for drunken morons."

Inu Yasha nodded again, although he looked more than a little dejected. For a minute Sesshoumaru wondered if he would pry open the lid on that particular can of worms.

"It's not much longer, and it is getting easier," He reminded his half brother.

"Says you," The younger scoffed. "I've lost my girlfriend and best friend."

Sesshoumaru refused to remind him of all that he'd lost. Instead she gave a one shouldered shrug and began veering away from the younger heir. Inu Yasha's thoughts were not amusing, and the idiot could easily bring the whole thing down on them. As far as the others were concerned, they had been disowned and were desperate for cash while they went through university. To them, there were no conditions of their return home and to their prior lives. If they were to find out so late in the game, everything would fall apart.

He damned his little brother's conscience and prayed the fool didn't get drunk any time soon. He wasn't sure if he could fix a mess of that magnitude.

And Kagome. What would she think?

Nothing. She had no right to. He'd only known her a week. Technically less, if he were being picky. Even though they'd spent a majority of their free time together, it didn't mean she was of any actual importance. He respected her determination and drive. Teaching her was proving to be a pleasant distraction from the ever present reminder of his status as outcast from his family and from society. That was all.

Shaking his head to clear it, the action only shifted the braid hanging down his back, serving to remind him of her again.

* * *

Kagome was surprised when Inu Yasha sat down in the booth across from her the next afternoon. He looked slightly apologetic and he twiddled his thumbs while he looked down at the smooth surface of the table.

"Hey Inu Yasha," She greeted, closing her textbook and sticking her pen into her messy bun.

"Hey," He mumbled.

Strange. He was always loud.

"I was listening this afternoon," He blurted, still unable to meet her eyes. "It was an accident, but I didn't leave. I'm sorry."

For a minute she wasn't sure what he was talking about. When it hit her, she couldn't help but smile warmly and put a hand on top of his clenched fingers.

"It's alright. Don't make a habit of though, okay?" She asked, pulling her hand away and gesturing for the waitress. Inu Yasha mumbled for a coke and Kagome leaned back in her seat and perused his face curiously.

"Are you sick?" She finally asked.

"What? No," He protested. "Why would you ask something like that?"

"Because you're acting like it. Seriously Inu Yasha, it's alright if you overheard my conversation. I should be apologizing anyway," She admitted. "I didn't mean to hit a sore spot last night. I didn't think about it until I got home, and what I said probably came out wrong in the context. If it was hurtful, I'm sorry."

"You didn't mean it," He shrugged, looking uncomfortable. "You're right though, I do miss them. Both of them. Heh, look at me. I'm not going to unload on you after yesterday. Dealing with Sango is enough. Thanks by the way. None of us realized how much the accident affected her. It'll be good for her to have another girl around."

"I still feel like a jerk for bringing it up. It's not my business," She sighed, looking down into her soda. The waitress came back and sat Inu Yasha's cup down with a napkin beneath it and a wink. He pulled it out and looked at it, blushing.

"I'll never understand why they do that," He muttered.

"She give you her number?"

"Yeah, but when they put a glass down on it that water on the outside always blurs the numbers. If they write tiny then it makes it impossible to call," He huffed.

"You could always ask her for a copy," Kagome giggled. Inu Yasha shook his head, looking chagrined.

"Nah, kills the thrill. At least for me. Besides, I haven't really wanted to date since Kikyo left," He admitted, taking a long swig of his soda for effect.

"Inu Yasha, you can tell me to mind my own business, but why did you sleep with Ayame? Kouga said he's known you his whole life and that you were friends."

He shrugged and inhaled deeply, looked like he was going to say something, then stopped and exhaled.

"It was after Sesshoumaru's accident," He finally said. "I kept trying to call our dad and let him know. And ask for help. Something. The bills were enough to kill us and I had no idea what to do. He wouldn't take my calls. That day I went to his office and got thrown out before I could even get to the elevator. I just gave up. I went to the bar and Ayame was dropping by to see if Kouga was working. When he wasn't she got really pissy, said he was with some girl he'd been chasing. We got drunk. She kept hanging all over me, trying to make Kouga jealous if he walked in, and I just wanted to forget everything. I don't really remember everything," He admitted.

"I know it's not an excuse," He said, holding his hands up when she opened her mouth to say something. "It was just one of those really fucked up days. Kouga found us together. I'd say her plan backfired. He didn't get jealous, he dumped her. And he told Kikyo before I could."

Kagome knew Inu Yasha had messed up big time, but she couldn't help feeling sorry for him. He looked so forlorn as he spoke.

"Thanks for defending me earlier. And Sesshoumaru. I know we're not the easiest people to get on with."

"Easier than you think," She told him, smiling. "Remember, my mom loves making me feel bad for doing anything but studying."

"Sesshoumaru mentioned something like that," Inu Yasha agreed. "You know, you're not so bad. Even if you are a brat."

"Hey," She snapped, using her straw to flick soda at him. "It's not like you're not," She countered. He sobered instantly and she hit another sore spot.

"I kind of had a question," He hedged.

"Go ahead and shoot."

"I need help."

"With?" She asked when he didn't elaborate.

"I'm failing my chemistry class," He admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm already on academic probation. If I don't pass-"

He didn't have to finish. Academic probation was the last step before getting kicked out.

"That's it?" She asked, surprised.

"That's not enough?" He snapped, blushing hotly.

"No, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to belittle it," She rushed. "It's just, after our talk I expected you to ask me to talk to Kouga or something," She admitted.

"Nah, that asshole's too stubborn to listen to anyone," He joked, although it had a bitter edge to it.

"It's okay. Chemistry is one of my better subjects," She told him. "Have you got your book with you?"

"Yeah," He said as he pulled his bookbag up and opened it. Two heavy textbooks thudded onto the table and Kagome's eyes widened.

"You have Higarikou?" She asked.

"Yeah, he's-"

"Amazing," She breathed. "He was my favorite professor last year!"

He stared at her as if she'd lost her mind.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was surprised and slightly annoyed to see his younger brother and Kagome bent over the table focusing on a chart in a textbook. They didn't even notice his presence and he watched for a moment as Kagome went over a complicated formula, breaking it down into steps. He was shocked to realize that she looked happy going over it.

Inu Yasha moved to grab his drink and realized he was there.

"Hey Sesshoumaru," Inu Yasha smiled, looking as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "Kagome's helping me study for the chemistry test next week. You never told me she was smart!"

"I'm not smart," She rebutted bashfully, blushing hotly. "I just like science."

"Keh, smarter than I am," His half-brother declared.

Sesshoumaru decided not to mention how easy an achievement that was.

Kagome slid over, offering a seat next to her by patting the padded bench and going back to the book in front of her. The waitress came over and took his order for a drink.

"Oh, could you bring a large basket of onion rings?" She asked. When both brothers flinched she blinked obliquely.

"Allergic," Inu Yasha muttered, red faced.

'Not precisely true, but close enough,' Sesshoumaru thought to himself.

"Oh. Then how about two large orders of fries?" She offered, chuckling weakly. The waitress nodded and went off while Kagome went back to the book and pulled the pen from her hair, causing a lock to pull halfway out and stick up comically.

He said nothing as she started scratching notes on a piece of paper, explaining them to Inu Yasha. When the waitress came back with fries, he had been pulled into the discussion, not that he had to say much. Kagome had either understated her intelligence or her love for the subject, or both. She was breaking everything down in a way that was easy for the younger of the two men to understand. Sesshoumaru found watching her fascinating. She looked almost as happy as when she was doing a burn.

"Have you thought about making your major science?" He finally asked. She stopped and shrugged, running a hand through her already mussed hair.

"I've never thought about it," She admitted. "I have no idea what I'd do."

"Become a mad scientist," Inu Yasha chuckled. "Surrounded all day by strange vials filled with different colored liquids."

"I'd probably end up blowing up my lab in a burst of green-" She stopped, blue eyes widening.

"Inu Yasha you're a genius," She murmured absentmindedly, mind turning inward.

"I'm sure that is the first and only time you will ever hear that. Savor it," Sesshoumaru mused, although he was still focused on the suddenly very quiet onna.

"Kagome," Inu Yasha prompted.

"Nothing," She said, coming back to reality. "It's just an idea I have to look into."

He wanted to know what could make her eyes shine like that. She looked fit to burst, and for a minute he wondered if she even remembered what she had been doing before or that they had planned to work on the routine.

"Strange woman," Inu Yasha muttered.

Half an hour later Kagome was stretching and rubbing her eyes.

"If I look at this any longer my head will explode," Inu Yasha sighed. "But thanks, I think I get it now."

"If you need anymore help let me know. Higikarou likes slipping surprise questions on his tests. I think I've still got my notes from that class stored away somewhere if you want them."

"That would be awesome," Inu Yasha answered thankfully as he stuffed his textbooks back in his bag. "You guys want to go practice? It won't be long before it gets dark."

Kagome made a noise of agreement as she put money on the table. She told them she was going to the bathroom and they both watched her walking to the other side of the diner, gazes intent.

"You know, she likes you," Inu Yasha mentioned.

Sesshoumaru scoffed.

"Hey, if she can explain anything science related to me and make me understand it, she's got the patience to deal with your stubborn ass," He muttered.

There was a distinctly feminine screech from the directions of the bathroom and the door flew open and the subject of their 'conversation' came stalking towards them, obviously irate.

"When were you guys going to mention my hair looked like this?" She snapped hotly, finger pointing at the disheveled mess her hair had become over the course of the study session. Several thick strands had been pulled halfway out, sticking in every direction comically.

"Hey, you have the hair part of a mad scientist down," Inu Yasha offered.

She was sputtering angrily, and Sesshoumaru was vaguely reminded of a cat fluffing out it's fur.

"You-That- I will-"

"Besides, Sesshoumaru thought it was sexy," His half brother interjected, smirking as he left the pair behind and headed for the door.

Her face blanked and went ghost white before suddenly flooding with red. Not even bothering to look at him, she grabbed her bag and spun on her heels. He followed, wondering if she'd try to pull the half-wit's hair again. When she did nothing but ignore the younger brother as she waited by the car, he shrugged mentally.

Of course, she also refused Inu Yasha's offer of the front seat.

* * *

Kagome walked past the two brothers through the parking garage and ignored the elevator completely. Leaving them behind in the dust, she sprinted up the stairs, eager to get some space between them before she had to face them again.

Was she really so obvious? She'd liked guys before, but she'd never had time to act on it, much less time to spend around them. Mortification wiped away any excitement she had felt from her earlier idea, killing her enthusiasm and leaving anxiety in her wake.

And after she'd been so nice to him too! Inu Yasha was being cruel teasing her like that. She tried to move faster, of half a mind to outrun her own embarrassment when her foot tripped over one of the stairs, sending her flying face first to the ground.

Her knee struck another stair harshly and her palms scraped against the concrete, stinging unmercifully. Thanking the kami that she'd managed to catch herself before eating another step, she allowed the tears burning her eyes to leak out, grateful that it wasn't a full force crying jag. Shifting and leaning against a wall, her leg spanning the width of the step, she thumped her head against the wall behind her.

Several minutes later Sesshoumaru was walking up the stairs and stopped when he came onto the landing.

"Are you alright?" He finally asked.

She nodded weakly and he took the steps two at a time to reach her. Lifting her leg, he sat across from her and laid the leg back down over his. Gentle fingers ghosted over the scrape, checking it through the hole in her jeans, prodding it gently once. Blood was weeping from the torn skin and staining the denim.

"Anywhere else?" He asked quietly. She held her hands out without saying anything and he checked one, then the other. Dirt had embedded itself in the scraped flesh and they bled a little, but otherwise looked fine.

"Can you walk?"

She nodded again and stood. She ignored the pain shooting through her knee and tried to avoid limping as they took the last two floors slowly, silently. He said nothing as he unlocked the front door, merely gestured for her to go in first. He followed and walked past her, leaving her standing alone in the living room. When he came back, he had a pair of shorts in his hand.

"Change into these," He instructed.

"What?"

"Your knee needs to be cleaned and bandaged," He explained tersely. She nodded and took the shorts, walking quietly to the bathroom. It was a tiny room, with barely enough space to turn. Unzipping her pants, she tried to avoid bending her knee overmuch as she slid them down and kicked them off.

The shorts were big on her, and she wondered if they were Sesshoumaru's. The bottom of the legs reached halfway down her calves, making them look like a pair of oversized capri pants. Holding the waist up, she walked back out and saw him sitting with a towel and first aid kit next to him. Deft fingers were opening a bottle of peroxide. He poured some in a small cup and pulled out several gauze squares.

Taking a seat across from him, she watched him pull her leg out straight and tuck the towel under it.

"The bleach might do the carpet good," She commented in an offhand manner.

"It would hardly be noticeable," He replied absentmindedly as he poured peroxide over the scrape. She flinched when it began to sting and bubble, biting her lips when he wiped at it a gauze square. He repeated the process three more times before he was satisfied and swabbed it with antibacterial gel. Another gauze square went over it, followed by a large bandage.

She held out her hands, the worse of the two first, and let him work.

"Inu Yasha is sorry if he embarrassed you."

"It's nothing," She murmured, flinching again when he wiped at the broken skin.

"He often speaks without thinking."

"It's part of his charm," She muttered. Sesshoumaru made a rude noise in his throat and moved to the other hand. Just as he was finishing with it, the front door opened and the pair looked up at the newcomer.

"Oh, so that's what was taking so long," inu Yasha muttered, looking slightly disappointed. "Hey, I'm sorry I said something stupid," He grunted, moving over to sit next to them.

"Not yet you aren't," Kagome murmured, smiling brightly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Inu Yasha asked, growing suspicious and shifting away from the petite woman.

"You'll see," She promised, her voice light and cheery, making the man shudder.

"Done," Sesshoumaru declared as he screwed the cap back on the bottle of peroxide and began putting everything away in the first aid kit. Kagome stood and tested her leg, wincing slightly. Sesshoumaru grabbed the cup and she took it from his hand, other hand holding up the shorts.

"I'll pour it out while you grab everything," She told him, moving for the kitchen, a room she still hadn't seen. It proved to be as cramped and crowded as the bathroom, and she wondered how they even cooked in such a tiny space. After pouring the remaining peroxide out she passed the quiet younger brother and went back to the bathroom and changed.

Unsure of what to do with the shorts, she had finally settled on asking when a solid thump sounded in the other room. Jerking the door open she flew out of the bathroom and stopped when she saw Inu Yasha lying flat on his back and Sesshoumaru walking to the front door.

"Is everything alright?" She gasped, moving to help Inu Yasha get up.

"Fine," He growled, ignoring her hand and getting up on his own. Shaking her head, Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru and blushed.

"I didn't know what to do with these," She admitted. He moved on silent feet towards her and held the wooden swords out and took the shorts from her and disappeared behind her.

"Care to tell me what that was about?" She demanded in a whisper.

"Nothing," Inu Yasha grumbled under his breath.

Sesshoumaru joined them and the topic was closed.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Inu Yasha asked, his pale eyes on her hands.

"I'm fine," She growled. "Just get into position."

They had run through the routine once with Sesshoumaru guiding her. This would be her first time doing it without his help. He stood back and watched the pair, curious to see how she would do on her own.

He flexed his fingers, still angry that his half brother's stupidity had almost taken Kagome out of commission before she could really begin. Her knee was going to bruise badly, and it was only her determination that kept him from calling the rehearsal off.

"Fine, sorry for being concerned," He muttered as he brought his sword up.

They moved slowly, and he was proud when she did everything perfectly. Her face was a mask of fierce concentration, which was just as well. She looked angry, and it would translate well into the performances.

They got through the routine with only two mistakes on her part and one on Inu Yasha's.

"Faster," He rumbled. Inu Yasha only looked worried when Kagome smiled coolly.

They moved faster, Inu Yasha setting the pace. Kagome kept up, fumbling three times by the end of it.

"Half time," He instructed, and Inu Yasha looked at him as if he'd said something stupid. However Kagome was already in position and nodded once when the younger male looked at her. A tight nod was her response and he got into position. He lunged.

She fumbled her fan, letting it slip from her fingers and catching it deftly, giving Inu Yasha pause. Sesshoumaru felt a strange surge of approval when her other fan appeared and she began moving with both, utilizing what he'd taught her in the apartment and ignoring the flashy moves of the routine, throwing Inu Yasha further off balance.

She captured the wooden sword between the two fans and flipped it away from it's wielder, then lunged and smacked him on the side of his head solidly. When she stepped back, smiling smugly, Sesshoumaru almost wished he could clap. Inu Yasha was standing still and staring wide eyed at her. His hand came slowly up to his head when she'd smacked him and rubbed it as a grin bloomed on his face.

"I knew you'd be perfect!" He crowed before lunging forward and lifting her off her feet and swinging her around. "Perfect, perfect, perfect!" He kept laughing as he spun.

"Put me down before I throw up!" Kagome shouted, laughing with him. After he put her down she listed for a moment before regaining her balance.

"I knew it! Didn't I tell you Sesshoumaru? Not even a week and she's already starting to get it! You," He said, turning to Kagome again. "I bet we could go through it faster and you'd do fine," He declared, picking his sword up and getting into position. "Come on," He goaded.

Kagome shrugged, still chuckling and he watched her closely. When she got into position, Inu Yasha barely gave her warning, only a simple guttural cry as lunged at her. With a cry she brought her fan up in defense.

The wooden sword clattered against the metal tines over and over. With growing amazement, he watched her execute each step perfectly, looking horrified and belligerent at the same time. Her own shout as she darted towards him made him jerk back in surprise, the intensity of it matching Inu Yasha's.

It had been choreographed to take five minutes. If Sesshoumaru figured correctly, they had done it in seven, maybe less. Both had made small mistakes, but those had been few and few between. When they pulled away from one another, Kagome was panting lightly, sweat misting her forehead. She licked her lips and blinked several times.

"What just happened?" She asked, awestruck.

The wooden practice sword flew at Sesshoumaru and he caught it deftly, fingers curling at the end.

"Now try it with him," Inu Yasha stated as he walked away. Kagome's already wide eyes glazed over and she began shaking her head and moving backwards.

"Position," He commanded.

"I don't think-"

"Position."

She didn't move into form, only shook her head dazedly.

He lunged at her, not holding back. Her fan flew up and he moved the choreography perfectly, not giving her time to think. The faster he went, the less she fumbled and the surer her movements became. Blue eyes were stormy and her cheeks were flushed. They lunged and jumped, and though he had intentionally kept the steps simple and everything was choreographed, there was something charged about the way they crashed into one another over and over.

Far from being his first female opponent in any sense, he couldn't remember ever seeing one with such an intense gaze. It was as if she believed she was fighting. The longer they went on, the more he felt as if he was underwater, gliding through the air as if gravity had lost it's hold on both his partner and himself. Sound faded and they became the epicenter of a storm or movement, the silence broken only by the sound of his heart hammering in his chest.

He swept his leg out, knocking her onto her back and the fan went flying, ending the mock battle, although his mind remained still and calm, and yet overstimulated by the feel of the ground beneath his feet and the air against his skin.

Walking over to her, he looked down and saw her staring blankly at the sky breathing heavily. Her face was flush and for a moment he wondered if she looked like that after making love. Certainly she had looked as euphoric after spinning fire, and unmeasurable pride filled him that he had been able to push her to such a state as he opponent and not someone else.

"Almost five minutes exactly," Inu Yasha said as he jogged over. "Wow, I've never seen you look like that."

Feeling slightly startled by the sudden intrusion of his half brother, he tried to hide his own discomfort with the sudden shattering of that strange peace that had wrapped around both himself and the woman he'd been sparring with.

"That's as good as spinning fire. Why do people do drugs?" Kagome asked through deep breaths. The smile on her face spoke volumes to him, and he couldn't help but shaking his head. Tossing the sword to Inu Yasha, he bent over and extended his hand. Accepting it gracefully, she giggled as he hauled her up to her feet.

"That's the fastest I've seen anyone memorize one of the routines, except for maybe us," Inu Yasha commented. "And we've been doing it since we were kids."

"Me too," She responded in a breathless voice. "Mom's been teaching me the fan dances since I was a kid. The ones that have a partner require a lot of focus. This was like that, but so much better!"

Her eyes were glowing and her cheeks bright pink. With each deep breath her chest almost asked for his attention. Forcing his gaze to stay on her face, he allowed himself a small smile. She was soaked with sweat.

"Did you bring a change of clothes this time?" He asked as they began walking towards his car. She nodded mutely, eyes still lit with joy.

"You can grab the first shower at our place then," Inu Yasha said, his own smile reaching both ears. "I still can't believe how you guys did that. It was intense."

Sesshoumaru couldn't help but agree.

* * *

Kagome accepted the towel and washcloth from Inu Yasha with a quiet thank you, her hands still trembling. Unlike her first burn, there was nothing to bring her down, and she couldn't help but be proud of herself. Somehow she had fought Sesshoumaru and done well. Granted it hadn't been real, but something about it had felt so alive, charged. Even though there props hadn't been fire props and the flame she loved hadn't been included, the experience itself was as involving, as moving, as fire spinning.

The bathroom was tiny and she stripped quickly and threw her clothes in a corner before hopping into the small shower stall. It was nothing like what she had back home, but there was shampoo and conditioner and soap, which was more than enough. As she soaped up the washcloth it occurred to her that she was in Sesshoumaru's shower. The same shower he got naked in. Blushing furiously, she shook her head trying to clear it of those thoughts. If Sesshoumaru was naked in it, so was Inu Yasha. That mental image and the cool water were enough to kill any inappropriate thoughts.

After wetting her hair she grabbed the shampoo bottle and was surprised to see it was a good brand, an expensive one that she thought would be out of their price range.

"No wonder his hair is so nice," She sighed as she began lathering her hair. After rinsing it out she massaged some conditioner into it and began soaping up. By the time she was finished, Inu Yasha had banged on the door twice telling her to hurry up and 'stop being such a girl'.

Drying quickly, she let her hair hang in damp ringlets as she tugged on her pants and a tshirt that was an almost exact copy of the one she had been wearing before. When she opened the door, she saw Inu Yasha waiting, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Trying to catch a peek? Pervert," She accused, throwing her towel at him. He made an indignant sound and Kagome stepped aside, allowing Sesshoumaru to step in and shut the door behind him, locking it with a decided click.

"Hey, I've been waiting out here for a fucking hour!" Inu Yasha shouted.

"Were not, drama queen," Kagome muttered, taking her towel back and rubbing her hair down. "Besides, he's got to drive me home soon, and I don't want to ride in the car with a stinky guy," She told him.

"I can drive," Inu Yasha bit out, walking into the dining area and sitting at the table.

"Really?" She couldn't recall ever seeing him drive.

"Sesshoumaru doesn't like sharing his car," The younger brother muttered darkly as he pulled out a notebook and began working on something, his hand sweeping over the page in hurried strokes.

"What's that?" Kagome asked.

"Since you're able to start performing, I've got to adjust the rates for the troupe. If I don't, everyone gets paid less," He replied as he finished writing. "I'm just making a note to remind myself for the website."

"You have a website?" She asked, brow arching.

"We have a website," He corrected. "You're one of us now," He reminded her. She smiled. The pack had taken her in, but they'd never said those words. She had always been 'little sister' or 'Kujaku's girl' or something of that sort. The thought made her feel slightly guilty. She hadn't been back for a gathering since her first burn, and she'd only seen Kujaku and Kouga.

"Want to see it?" He asked, breaking through her reverie.

"Sure," She smiled. He left for a moment and she heard him rummaging through his room. He emerged from the hall seconds later with a small notebook laptop in his hands. He sat next to Kagome and she watched as he opened a browser and clicked on a shortcut.

The logo was the traditional kanji for 'ryuuko'.

"Dragon and Tiger?" She asked.

"Miroku said simple is better," Inu Yasha said in an offhand manner.

"Or he had you and Sesshoumaru in mind," She joked, referring to the mythic feud between the two creatures. Inu Yasha shrugged and sighed, nodding once.

"Probably. It sounds like his sort of humor. Look at this, this is our stills gallery. We've got this really annoying kid that does our photography for almost nothing. We're going to have to get some of you soon," He told her as he scrolled down the page. Kagome looked at the photos in awe.

"These are you guys?" She gasped. Most of the photos were of people in masks and costumes. Some were on them in less elaborate clothing with painted faces, but the photos themselves were surreal. Almost all of them had been taken at night and captured the performers and their props perfectly. Those taken at dusk and the day lacked the element of fire, and while they were technically very good photos, lacked the magic of the ones taken in darkness.

"Shippou's to thank for most of it. Without his photography and videos we wouldn't get even a quarter of the gigs we do," He replied. "I'll give him a call and tell him we need some more done."

"Who makes the costumes?" She asked, eyes still fastened to the screen. Everything was so beautiful, she was sure she would never fit in with the others. Each one seemed to carry the costumes and their props almost flawlessly, looking like spirits and demons in each photo.

"A lot of it is stuff we can switch from costume to costume. Anything from scratch is usually Miroku's work. It only looks elaborate, but it's not that bad. We have to keep the clothes light or risk passing out. Our performances can last up to an hour, and trust me, even in the middle of winter you start sweating while working."

"Yeah," Kagome agreed. "Tonight was chilly and I got all gross," She chuckled.

"Now think about doing that in a mask and costume, or even face paint."

"Have you guys ever just done simple costumes?" She asked. At Inu Yasha's questioning glance she continued. "You know, no face paint or anything. For the guys maybe just hakama. You all would make a ton just for women's parties," She teased.

"No," Inu Yasha bit out. "Masks or paints. We all have plans to do something besides this after school. It's better to keep our faces out of it."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize," She murmured, pulling back.

"It's not your fault," He apologized. "Sesshoumaru put a lot of thought into this when we started it up. We're just trying to keep everyone's reputations safe. Besides, it'll help you too, in case someone ever shows your mom a picture of us performing."

"Or gods forbid, she sees us," Kagome sighed.

"Hey, I need your schedule. That way I can work something out with Shippou and Koharu," He said, effectively halting her train of thought.

"Koharu?" Kagome asked.

"She does our makeup, she's pretty awesome, as long as she doesn't get around Miroku."

"Why?" She asked, not liking the look on Inu Yasha's face.

"She's had a crush on him forever."

"Bet Sango doesn't like that," Kagome sighed. Inu Yasha nodded and shrugged.

"No one else will do it for free though, and I think the only reason she doesn't charge is because of her crush. Her work is awesome though," He admitted. "So everyone puts up with it. Be right back, you want a soda?"

"Sure," She replied, still scrolling through the pictures.

She stopped and clicked on one, immediately recognizing Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha from their long braided hair. It was a high resolution image and took a few seconds to load, but she waited patiently and watched it gain more and more detail.

Sesshoumaru had his face painted white, although it reflected the red of the fire, making it yellow orange in the darkness. He wore nothing but hakama, his torso exposed. In his hand was a flaming sword sweeping across, creating a semicircle of fire around him. Inu Yasha held a strange, wider sword that was almost completely obscured by it's own flame. His face was painted black, and both looked like something out of her grandfather's stories.

"Pretty good, huh?" Inu Yasha asked as he sat again.

"It's fantastic," She admitted, still awed by the image of Sesshoumaru. Even with the face paint he looked ethereal, feline and predatory.

"I'm done," A voice said from the hallway as the subject of her thoughts walked out, damp hair hanging heavy and swaying with each step, droplets falling and rolling down his bare skin. Her heart hammered it's way up her throat and stuck itself there, swelling painfully.

Inu Yasha made an exaggerated coughing noise and snickered. "You're staring."

She spun and snapped the towel so quickly she surprised even herself.

"Holy shit!" Inu Yasha said from where he'd fallen backwards to avoid the towel. "It was a joke, I swear!"

By the time she looked up Sesshoumaru had gone back into the hall and she heard him moving around in his room, a dresser drawer opening and closing.

"I swear on all that's holy, if you don't stop-" She hissed.

"Just jump him already. You both need it," Inu Yasha grumbled. He reached over and opened a blank word document and typed her name.

"Write your schedule up and I'll call Shippou and Koharu tomorrow," He muttered, moving back into the kitchen. She did as asked and saved the document to his desktop just to be safe and stood, completely ignoring the unopened soda. Sesshoumaru walked out, running a hand through his hair.

She went to her bag, pulled out her secret weapon and pounced.

"We are not at school," Sesshoumaru sighed as she brushed his hair and braided it loosely.

"Are you complaining?" She retorted.

Inu Yasha stepped out of the kitchen, spotted his brother sitting in front of her while she played with his hair, and walked back into the kitchen without a word.

"No funny comments?" She demanded loudly.

"No. You'll just pull my hair again!" Inu Yasha snapped.

* * *

This chapter's song Effectual by The Thrillseekers vs M.I.K.E.

One of those little facts you learn once you get a dog: Dogs and onions apparently do not mix very well.

Once you start burning, you'd be surprised at how your reflexes change, and how aware you become of the areas around you. I'm not saying my power level is over 9000, but I have gotten a lot faster over the years since picking up poi and especially meteor, and it's the same for others into spinning. Balls of fire next to your face tend to do that. Kagome's essentially speeding up, becoming more aware because she's getting almost daily training sessions.

Also, CreArtive, this story will have more of the spirituality of burning in it, so no worries. I wanted this to be about people from very different backgrounds learning to respect it for what it is, and experiencing that moment during spinning that I think most pyros strive for with each burn. Part of this was inspired by IRL events. A friend in the community here started taking martial arts lessons to add to their style, and was met with more than a little ridicule in their class for it. Hopefully this story will evolve into people from both sides of the equation finding the middle ground that my friend (unfortunately) gave up on.

And, sorry this is late. I'm knitting boobs and helping out my mom and trying to get this thing finished. I'll have the next chapter up in the next few days, once it's edited. Thank you for waiting!


	7. A Better Daze

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 7: A Better Daze**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the rights to Inu Yasha. This is a fan work, and made for fun. Also, I don't own the right's to any of JPL's work. I'm just inspired by a beautiful song.

* * *

It was Wednesday when she was braiding Sesshoumaru's hair that she found out that Shippou and Koharu would be able to see her in the afternoon. He explained to her that they'd have to go to the apartment and get the multiple costumes she'd be wearing for the photos. At the mention of being photographed and taped for the website her stomach bottomed out and her fingers fumbled the braid.

"You will do fine," He assured, never looking up from his laptop. A text document was open and she peered over his shoulder, confused by the wording almost immediately.

"What's that?" She asked, desperate to change the topic.

"A paper for my international business law class," He answered almost absentmindedly as his fingers flew over the keyboard.

"Miroku mentioned you and Inu Yasha were both going for business degrees," She recalled as she bound the bottom of the braid and tugged it to let him know she was done.

"Hnn," He answered.

"Fine, be that way," She chuckled as she grabbed her bag. His pale eyes were focused on the laptop and she was tempted to ruffle his hair before leaving.

"Be at the car at two, you'll be going through simple routines with the others before we go to the field."

"Wha-why?" She stammered, almost dropping her bookbag.

"We need pictures of you with everyone," He explained, still not looking at her.

Tension created an anxious knot in her stomach and her fingers tightened on the bag strap as she fled the library.

* * *

Kagome wasn't sure what to make of Koharu. When Inu Yasha had described the girl, he had never mentioned eye searing bright colors or complete ignorance of the idea of personal space. Even Sesshoumaru tolerated her little advances on his bubble as she traced her fingers over his braid.

"You should let me give you guys my new treatment," She told them, bouncing energetically. "It's amazing, and I know you love pampering your hair!"

Kagome couldn't look away from the girls bright green lipstick or neon blue eyeshadow. Her bright pink clothing was more than her sensitive eyes could tolerate.

"You, I know what we're going to do with you!" Koharu sing-songed. "Go get into your first costume."

"Where am I supposed to change?" Kagome asked, looking around the empty field. It was Shippou's choice location, and the grass still hadn't begun growing in. The photographer still hadn't shown up, and the sun was beginning to set.

"Just use the car," Koharu mumbled, not looking at her while she began setting up her makeup case on the back of Sango's car.

"Everyone will see," Kagome hissed.

"They're all setting everything else up, you don't have anything to worry about," Sango assured her. "If you need help with anything, let me know. The ties can be a bit confusing the first time."

With growing trepidation Kagome got into the back of Sango's -recently cleaned- car. The costume was simple enough, she hoped. The regular white haori was easy enough even though the material was rough and scratchy. The midnight blue hakama were another story. After twisting, turning, and contorting herself in every way possible, she realized there was no way she was going to be able to pull the pants on and tuck the haori in without standing.

Cracking open the car door, she looked up at Sango beseechingly.

"I have to stand to do this," She admitted in a small voice.

Sango surprised her by turning and cupping her hands over her mouth.

"If any of you looks over here Kagome gets to brain you with a weapon of her choice!"

The males all stopped what they were doing to turn and look at the women.

"Thanks," Kagome grumbled. "Now they know I'm changing. Wonderful."

"You'll be fine, the haori covers everything important," Sango assured her as she got out. The long shirt did fall to mid thigh, and Kagome thanked her ancestors for having such elaborate clothing. Pulling the pants up her legs was the easy part, and tucking the haori in correctly proved no problem.

"How the hell do you tie these?" Se asked.

"Didn't you grow up on a shrine?" Sango asked sceptically.

"Yeah, but mom didn't want me wasting time with it. Souta's the one that will inherit."

"Got to love our culture. Men get everything," Sango grumbled as she helped Kagome tie the hakama tightly high on her waist.

"Aren't the sleeves a little long for fire?" Kagome asked.

"Everything is made from flame retardant material. It's heavier and doesn't feel great, but it's safe," Sango murmured as she finished the last knot. Kagome nodded, feeling better about what she was wearing immediately.

Koharu took over immediately, pulling Kagome's hair back into a tight bun and tying it off. Next Kagome submitted to a base being slathered on her face, and then a thick layer of white makeup over everything, including her eyebrows.

"I'm thinking something simple," Koharu mumbled, sorting through her box. Her hands were light on Kagome's face as she directed Sango to hold a bright flashlight behind her shoulder.

It was strange, being unable to see what was going on, but she submitted willfully to everything, Sango making approving noises now and again, and giving suggestions when Koharu paused. It wasn't long before Koharu was finished and stepped back, nodding once.

"This will do for this outfit. Best to keep it simple."

"It looks good," Sango agreed.

"II wish I could see," Kagome laughed. "Thank you, Koharu."

"No problem. I get copies of everything Shippou takes and add them to my portfolio. Someday I'm going to do movie makeup," She confided as Sango walked away. "Just wait until you all have a big gig, Sesshoumaru lets me go wild."

Kagome wasn't sure she wanted to see the girl 'go wild' given her already strange attire and makeup choices. But she laughed anyway and told her she looked forward to it while she walked towards the group. The photographer, an enthusiastic teenager Kohaku's age with bright red hair and freckles, had shown up while she had a flashlight blinding her.

"Hello," She greeted. He looked up and stopped, green eyes widening almost comically.

"Wow!" The teenager breathed. "You're the new girl?"

"Yup," Kagome answered evenly despite her sudden nervousness. Rubbing her sweaty palms on the rough material of her hakama she walked over and extended her hand. "My name's Kagome."

"I'm Shippou. I go to school with Kohaku. It's good to meet you," He returned, smiling warmly at her. "I've never seen anyone using fire fans before, can't wait to see what you can do."

"Thanks. I'm a little nervous, this seems so official," She answered weakly.

"Don't be nervous. If you want, I've got some blooper videos I can show you sometime."

"I'd like that," She admitted. "Any of Sesshoumaru?"

Shippou shrugged, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"None you'd want to see," He mumbled. Kagome peered at him anxiously, wondering if she'd said something to upset the photographer, but unable to figure out what.

"Kagome, get your ass over, here, we're ready!" Inu Yasha shouted.

Still worried she'd done something, she had to tear herself from the suddenly silent figure next to her and walked into the field.

"You'll be doing the routine with Sesshoumaru first," Inu Yasha informed her. Sesshoumaru was already shaking the excess fuel from a metal sword that had a blackened strip of kevlar running down it's length. Unlike her, his face was plain white and his hair was bound in a tight braid. She accepted her fan from Miroku before watching him light it.

The feeling she had before her first burn returned, and the fire flickering at the end of her fan didn't help as she got into position across from Sesshoumaru.

"I'm going to vomit butterflies," She muttered as she waited for Shippou's go ahead.

"Be sure to do it on camera," Her opponent responded stonily, the fire from his modified katana casting strange shadows over his face.

"I'm ready!" Shippou shouted from behind his camera.

"Follow my lead," Sesshoumaru commanded. He moved forward at half speed, and Kagome allowed him to lead the dance. Despite the chill spring air they both began to sweat beneath their rough haori. She concentrated fiercely on his face, determined to do well. He seemed to approve, because he didn't correct her.

He didn't trip her at the end, merely stepped back and nodded.

"After Miroku fight Sango, and then you'll change costumes," He instructed before moving away. Kohaku was waiting with a damp towel and helped Sesshoumaru put the fire out. Miroku came up, his staff lit at both ends. Their routine was so simple that she had been able to easily memorize it. Most of it was circling and jumping at each other, bringing the fire around their bodies to look good for the camera.

By the time Sango came forward with her sword, Kagome was sweating profusely beneath her clothing and all she wanted to do was strip down and run naked through the cold. Sango seemed to take pity on her, and they took the routine more quickly than had been planned. It was just as well, because the fire had burned through the fuel on the fan and was dimming, finally going out with a particularly quick swing.

"Go get some water, I'll help you change in a minute," Sango advised as she and Kagome set their props on cinder blocks Miroku had brought. Kagome nodded, more than ready to get out of the heavy, uncomfortable cloth and into something different. Sending a quick prayer to the heavens, she grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler and chugged a quarter of it down in the first pull, heedless of her makeup.

"Having fun yet?" Shippou asked as he walked over. Kagome gasped after pulling her lips from the bottle, dragging in air and exhaling heavily.

"I knew it would be work, but I never thought about doing stuff like this," She admitted. "It's fun though, in a way. I get to dress up _and_ play with fire," She finished with a chuckle.

"Well, Sesshoumaru wants you to change costumes and makeup, and then you're just going to mess around with your fans so I can get some solo pictures," Shippou told her. "But you looked really awesome. I can tell the pictures are going to be a hit. I might even use them for my final," He added.

"You're a photography student?"

"Yup. When I heard from Kohaku that they were starting a troupe and setting up a website, I offered to do the photography for free as long as they let me follow them around. My teacher wants me to broaden my scope, but I have yet to fail a project."

"It's amazing how many people this is helping," Kagome sighed.

"Yeah. Sorry about earlier, I didn't mean to get all weird. Sesshoumaru doesn't mess up," Shippou commented.

"He seems too much a perfectionist to mess up in front of people," Kagome commented before tipping the water bottle back again.

"So you two a couple?" Shippou asked slyly, eyes narrowed and a smirk on his lips. Kagome choked and spat water out while the mischievous teenager thumped her back hard.

"Why would you ask that?" Kagome demanded.

"Just Sango talking," Shippou replied breezily. "I have my answer so it's all good."

"What answer is that?" Kagome ground out, wiping her face with her hands and groaning when she realized she'd smeared her makeup.

"No worries, Koharu was going to redo it anyway, for the next set of pictures," He laughed before walking back towards his equipment. Kagome watched him go and capped her water bottle, stalking towards Sango's car.

"Sango," Kagome began.

"Oh good, we need to hurry. Koharu is doing Sesshoumaru's makeup while she waits for you," Sango said, grabbing a wet towel and scrubbing Kagome's face before she could say anything. Kagome sputtered and tried to pull away, but Sango held her chin and wiped her skin clean.

"We don't want to get any on the costumes," Sango explained. "Come with me, this is going to take some teamwork," She said, grabbing a bundle and tugging Kagome's arm.

"Sango-" Kagome started again.

"Get out of those, hurry up. Koharu's got to get home soon," Sango urged, already working on the hakama ties. Kagome helped her and cautiously looked around before allowing them to drop to the ground. Cool air hit her legs and for a moment she thought she was in heaven. The haori came next and she took a moment to savor the cool air hitting her mostly naked skin.

"Bra next," Sango instructed.

"What?" Kagome gasped, looking down at her plain white bra.

"We're putting you in a sarashi," Sango murmured. Slightly mollified, Kagome removed her bra and allowed Sango to begin winding the long strip of cloth around her torso, covering her breasts and ribcage.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to other people seeing me naked," Kagome muttered, grateful when her breasts were covered despite the discomfort. The cloth itself pressed her chest down and it was a new, uncomfortable sensation.

"Never had a boyfriend?" Sango asked as she wound tighter and tighter.

"No," Kagome admitted. "No time."

The sarashi finished, Sango held out a pair of green hakama. Kagome stepped into them and allowed Sango to tie the knots. Due to the darkness, she wasn't able to see what the other woman was doing and vowed to learn how to tie them herself at the next opportunity.

"Go get your makeup fixed," Sango instructed. Kagome paused, feeling self conscious of going back to the group in just the pants and sarashi. But her chest was covered, the bindings themselves going halfway down her torso before stopping. It was akin to a tube top, and though she'd never worn one of those either, she'd seen plenty of girls who had.

"No more revealing than a bikini," She muttered to herself as she walked over to Koharu. Sesshoumaru had already finished his makeup, and was somewhere in the darkness. Koharu grabbed her and Sango came up to hold the flashlight again.

"I'd like to do some quick braids instead of a bun for this," Koharu muttered, taking Kagome's hair out of it's bun. In her rush, she wasn't nearly as gentle as she had been before.

"If there's not enough time-" Kagome began as another section of hair was pulled tight and braided.

"Shippou had an awesome idea for some photos," Koharu stated. "We've got time."

"Shippou?" Kagome asked, wincing when another section of hair was pulled.

"Sesshoumaru wanted you to just play with your fans, but when Shippou found out Sesshoumaru knew some moves, he wanted pictures of the both of you together with them," Sango explained.

"Are you guys done yet?" Inu Yasha shouted.

"I'm the one with a date, so shut up!" Koharu shouted angrily, not even looking over her shoulder. Kagome's ears were ringing from the volume of the girl's high pitched voice and her head swam strangely for a second.

"Just a few more," Koharu muttered. Feeling slightly victimized, Kagome knew she was lying, only half of her hair was done.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was waiting, enjoying the feel of the cool air on his skin. The hakama he wore were heavy enough, but his haori had been almost unbearable. At least able to shed the haori, he savored the light breeze that cooled the sweat that clung to his skin.

It was Shippou's insistence that he look thus, and Koharu had braided his hair in long, thick braids down his back. His makeup was minimal, white with some other color forming a simple pattern of some sort on it. It had only taken her a few minutes to do the makeup, but she had been working on his hair for almost fifteen minutes. Shrugging indifferently, he checked checked the props while he waited. In the cool air they had quickly lost their heat and would be ready to put in the car when he and Kagome were done.

"Done!" A voice called out. He looked over to the car where a flashlight shone at Kagome's hidden form. For a minute it looked like Koharu and Sango were arguing with the girl. Then he heard their raised voices and began walking over. Shippou waved him off and he paused, feeling as if he were being left out of something important.

A minute later a defeated looking Kagome was walking from the group, her shoulders slumping. In the darkness he could only tell that she was unhappy.

"Oi, come on bastard, let's get these lit," Inu Yasha barked, already flicking the fans to free them of excess fluid. Still confused about the newest member's sudden reticence, he walked over to his half brother and accepted the fans. Turning to hand one to Kagome, he almost dropped both when he saw what she was wearing and what Koharu had done to her.

"No one ever told me I'd be doing this," She muttered sullenly, still not looking up from the ground.

"I was unaware that this was what Shippou had suggested," He bit out, trying not to look at her exposed shoulders or the lines of her collarbones.

"You weren't?" She asked, look up, surprised. Her eyes widened and despite the makeup he would swear she was blushing.

Her braided hair exposed more of her flesh to the moon and for a moment his breath caught in his throat. She had beautiful shoulders, and a gorgeous neck. And despite her breasts being bound, her curves still swelled and dipped gently. The sarashi ended a few inches above her belly button, and he had the strangest urge to touch the flesh of her stomach and see if it was a soft as it looked.

"No," He rumbled, holding a fan out.

She accepted it, looking slightly better, although she wouldn't directly at him, and he wondered if she felt too exposed.

"Are you comfortable doing this?" He asked.

"Yes," She squeaked, then cleared her throat. "I've worn a bikini before, and this actually covers more," She explained, slightly breathless.

He tried not to picture her in a bikini. Or naked. Both times he failed and barely managed to keep from growling when a smirking Inu Yasha came forward to light the fans. Fire flared up, lighting their faces and casting shadows everywhere.

"Want to go through the forms?" She offered.

"Hn," Was all he could manage as they moved to the center of the field and posed.

They took the forms slowly first, and then a second time more quickly,getting lost in the rhythm inherent in the movements. Shippou ran up to them looking apologetic as he shattered their peace, causing her to falter and him to stop and glare.

"Can you guys move more closely together. Do some tricks, whatever. I want dynamic shots," He told them, running off before they could answer.

"Bossy, isn't he?" Kagome chuckled as they stepped more closely together.

"He does the photography for free," He replied, eyes catching the glint of sweat on her chest.

"Want to do some tosses?"

That she didn't ask if he could, but if he wanted to, did not go unnoticed. He nodded and they began tossing the fans in the air. Sometimes he would toss one to her and she would flip them and juggle them, then toss another back. The peace gone, he felt like a circus performer once again, and could not get lost in the movements.

"Dynamic shots!" Shippou shouted.

"Cheeky little-"

"I think he means something like your first burn," Sesshoumaru interrupted.

Kagome paused and for a moment he was at a loss. With the face paint it was difficult to tell if she was happy or hesitant.

"Do you want to? You didn't seem to like it," She murmured, still waving her fan back and forth.

He tossed the fan to her and moved back, nodding.

When she began moving, it was slow at first, and he there was a twinge of regret when he realized he might have begun training the wildness out of her. Then somewhere inside of her, a dam broke and she began jumping and spinning. He could still see his influence, but whatever it was that she had been holding back came to the forefront.

It wasn't controlled or trained or even particularly graceful. But it was beautiful. The fans spun around her, and she moved so quickly it looked like she was winding a maelstrom around herself, fire and smoke leaving bright trails around her body, encasing her form as she moved. Catlike, she moved and bent fluidly, body becoming more and more like the fire itself, undulating and flickering in the light surrounding her.

Inu Yasha broke his concentration when he ran up with one of the fire swords, grinning broadly.

"When was the last time you just went with it?" He asked, thrusting the flaming sword into his hands before running off. Looking down at the prop for a moment, he reasoned that it would be a waste of fuel if he did nothing.

Emulating her wildness, he began leaping and jumping and circling around her, feeling strangely lightheaded when she noticed him and began twirling around him, her fans sweeping on either side of his body before retreating. Blood roared in his ears as he tossed the sword into the air and executed a perfect flip, catching it and sweeping and arc around her as he contorted his body.

They began circling one another, leaping and jumping on nimble feet. He would push, she would pull, and sometimes they would crash against one another, the fire joining and flaring even brighter, almost blinding them. In the sphere of smoke and light, he looked forward to the infinitesimal seconds where they came together, her face strangely beautiful framed by the flames.

Her fans dimmed and she slapped them shut, killing the fire. The sword was already beginning to dim and he guessed that it hadn't been soaked very long at all. Spinning it quickly, the flames dimmed and then went out, trailing smoke in the air.

"That was amazing!" Shippou shouted, his voice seeming to come from far away, barely heard over their heavy breathing and her light gasps.

"That was beautiful," She murmured at last, eyes reflecting the moonlight, bright orbs staring at him from behind a mask of white.

"You did very well," He replied, unable to tell her how unearthly she had looked as she had lost herself to passion. For a minute it had felt as if their private, separate worlds had collided and combined, and the feeling was still too deep to think on, much less speak of.

"Guys, that was just, wow," Inu Yasha said as he ran up with a damp towel held between his hands. Kagome dropped her fans into it and Sesshoumaru set the sword in the makeshift hammock.

"Thanks," Kagome sighed. "I feel like I'll never sleep again," She laughed breathlessly.

"Come on, this deserves a beer," Inu Yasha told them, walking away. For a moment it looked as if Kagome was going to say something, then stopped and smiled brightly.

"Thank you so much for that," She finally told him, moving forward to hug him. Belatedly, he realized how foolish it was to allow such a thing. Not only would it give the others of the group the wrong idea, but the feel of her sweaty skin pressed against his own was doing nothing to help slow his breathing.

When she finally pulled back, she didn't look at him, but took his hand in her own and tugged him towards the group.

"Come on!" She cajoled, bright laughter bubbling out of her, uncontrolled and warming.

* * *

Even though she'd changed Kagome could smell the smoke lingering in her still braided hair. The car ride to the apartment had been uneventful except for Inu Yasha begging money off of Sesshoumaru at the liquor store and Koharu's constant chatter.

None of it was enough to destroy the strange high Kagome was riding, and her hands trembled anytime she held them in front of her. Energy still throbbed beneath her skin, her blood feeling a hundred times warmer than it ever had.

Koharu, shrugging when Kagome asked about her date, mumbled something noncommittal as she texted on her phone and announced that it had been called off. Once they finally reached the complex, everyone had spilled out of the two cars, grabbing props and costumes, the motley assortment of laughing and giggling people creating enough of a ruckus to have tenants poking their heads out of their doors to glare as they filed up the stairs.

"Why can't you guys get a room on a lower floor?" Koharu whined.

"Cheaper rent," Inu Yasha snorted, rolling his eyes at the young woman. Kagome threw a sympathetic look in Koharu's direction before turning her attention back to Sango, who was throwing out ideas for a routine between the two of them.

By the time they reached the eighth floor, even Kagome felt a little shaky and when they spilled into the tiny apartment, she immediately made for the metal trunk and opened it, setting the bottles of fuel down carefully.

Everyone gathered around the small table, and Kagome opted for a seat next to Sesshoumaru, elbowing him when he threw her a dark look. Inu Yasha was opening and passing out bottles to everyone, and when Sesshoumaru glared, Kagome turned pleading blue eyes in his direction.

"Just one to celebrate your newest member?" She asked, over exaggerating her tone. "If you don't, I'll feel unwanted."

"Yeah, go on!" Inu Yasha commanded as Sesshoumaru took the bottle. It was the first of such celebrations that he had taken part in, and his whole demeanor reinforced the knowledge.

"I would like to make an announcement," Miroku said, raising up on his knees so his head was above everyone's. "I have received an offer for a gig, and at the new rates. Kagome's first official performance as one of us will be next Saturday."

Everyone cheered and raised their bottles but Sesshoumaru, who merely sipped off of his.

"So soon?" Kagome asked after everyone had quieted. "I mean, I just learned a routine."

"If we're lucky we get three gigs a week. Winter is a slow time, now that it's spring things will start picking up again," Inu Yasha explained, punctuating the statement with another pull from his bottle. "I think the most we've had in a week is five," He added thoughtfully.

"It was five," Sango agreed. "Kami, what hell that was."

"Is it really that bad?" Kagome breathed, eyes widening.

"It wasn't the amount so much as the gigs themselves," Miroku answered. "When we first started out it was hard enough because we hadn't accumulated a decent amount of costumes or routines."

Kagome nodded in understanding, taking another sip of her beer.

"When is this one scheduled?" Sesshoumaru rumbled.

"They want us from eleven to midnight," Miroku answered.

"Eleven to midnight?" Kagome gasped. Her mother would never believe a study group went that long!

"Say you're sleeping over at Sango's," Inu Yasha shrugged.

"Then I actually have to sleep there. I can't impose like that!"

"It'll be fine," Sango assured. "We've got some extra space."

Everyone seemed exceptionally blithe about the whole thing, but she couldn't shake the panic.

"My mom will want to meet your first, and even then she'll probably give me a hard time," She tried explaining.

"You said your mother wanted us to come for a study group," Sesshoumaru interrupted. "It would be an ideal time to do so."

"We don't even go to the same schools!"

"She is unaware of that."

She sat and contemplated it for several minutes before shrugging helplessly.

"How about we do it Friday?" Kagome asked.

"No good, we've got a gig," Inu Yasha rebutted. Surprised, she could only blink in confusion.

"It was arranged before you joined," Miroku explained. Kagome heaved a sigh of relief and took another sip of her beer.

"So Saturday morning?" Kagome tried. "We study for awhile, have lunch and then say Sango needs to be home for whatever," Kagome suggested. "So we go with her." Everyone agreed and Inu Yasha let out a loud whoop of excitement.

"This is going to be so awesome!"

"Speaking of your mother," Sesshoumaru interjected. "Perhaps it is time I took you home."

Kagome sighed and nodded before standing, reluctant to leave the happy group. Seeking an excuse, she looked to Sesshoumaru's beer and saw he'd barely touched it. Hers was almost gone and the alcohol mixed strangely with the lingering effects of her burn.

"We'll see you tomorrow for practice," Sango called out as she and Sesshoumaru began slipping their feet into their shoes. With a loud goodbye from the table still ringing in her ears she waved and called out her own farewell. Sesshoumaru, stoic as always, said nothing as they departed, closing the door behind him quietly.

"It's still strange, all of this," Kagome sighed as they began walking down the stairs. "Even after I met the pack, I never did anything like that," She admitted.

"We have never had such before," Came the calm reply.

"A celebration? Why not?"

The reply was a one shouldered shrug and she let out a frustrated groan.

"So when will I get to see the videos?" She tried.

"Shippou is very diligent. I should have copies for you on Friday or Saturday."

"It's cool, you know," She murmured, stretching her arms. "Everyone is getting an opportunity to do what they love and coming away with something."

He was silent until they reached the landing, and she tugged on one of the braids, stopping him.

"Need help getting these out?" She asked. He shook his head and she shrugged again, letting him be. Once they were in his car, she began taking her own braids out, surprised by how many Koharu had managed in such a short period of time.

The car ride was silent, but she was pleased to note it was not an uncomfortable silence. Instead, she was allowed to ride out the strange euphoria, a small smile still playing on her lips. The bright lights of the city passed by and she had the irrational urge to stick her tongue out at them.

When he dropped her off, she murmured a thank you and waved as she walked up the stone steps to her home. The lights were off almost everywhere except the living room, where her mother waited. The remaining vestiges of her high vanished like cobwebs being dusted away.

"Hello sweetie," Nodoka said, not looking up from her knitting.

"Hey mom. I'm sorry I'm so late. Inu Yasha is a complete dolt when it comes to chemistry, and since I had the class last year I helped him."

"It's fine sweetie." She still wasn't looking up form her knitting.

"I'm having a study group here Saturday morning," Kagome offered, glad her mother wasn't looking directly at her. But at her statement the woman's head swung up and her smile reached her brown eyes.

"That's good dear, who all will be coming?"

"Sesshoumaru, his brother Inu Yasha, Sango, and Miroku, maybe Sango's little brother, although I doubt it. He doesn't go to school with us. That's not too many, is it?"

If she wasn't specific, it wasn't exactly a lie, was it?

"That's fine dear. I'll make sure to prepare a big lunch."

Kagome nodded, not trusting her voice and walked upstairs, grateful to have avoided a confrontation. Her stomach still churned with the lie, guilt needling at her conscience.

Briefly she wondered if she would ever be allowed to use her fans without some doubt, some guilt overshadowing it.

* * *

**A/N:** This chapter's song is by JPL, A Better Daze (original mix). And I have totally stuck my tongue out at lights before, because I hate light pollution when I'm trying to burn. Also, a beer after a burn does make for some interesting side effects. Oh, the giddiness.

Thank you to everyone who wished well for my mom. She just had surgery and the outlook is pretty good.

And CreARTive, my friend didn't give up spinning, but she did stop going to her martial arts class, and it's something that always bothered me. I suppose this is me writing the sort of ending I wanted for that story.


	8. Iron Eden

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter theory**

**Chapter 8: Iron Eden**

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the rights to Inu Yasha and co. I also don't own the rights to anything by Gate.

* * *

Kagome was busy helping her mother with the preparations for lunch when a heavy knock resounded at the door. Excusing herself, she tried to calm her pounding heart. The plan had seemed easy when she suggested it, but now that it was about to start she wasn't sure how she felt. Anxiety tied her stomach in knots as she moved for the front door. The banging started again and she knew it had to be Inu Yasha, none of the others would be so impatient.

"Hey guys," She greeted through a forced smile as she opened it. They all nodded, giving their own greeting as she stepped to the side to let them in.

"Hello everyone," Nodoka greeted, and Kagome cursed herself for not realizing her mother had snuck into the foyer. "It's good to finally meet you all."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too ma'am," Miroku replied politely, the lecher gone and replaced with someone Kagome didn't quite recognize. "Kagome has told us many wonderful things about you."

She tried not to make a disbelieving noise at that lie.

"Thank you for letting us study here," Sango butted in. "We'd do it at my home, but my brother needed the living room for his study group. We'll try not to impose too much."

Was she in the twilight zone?

"It's very nice to meet you ma'am," Inu Yasha finally said. "My brother says you're an amazing cook."

Inu Yasha was thinking about his stomach. Nope, no problem there. It was still the real world and not a dream. Once that was confirmed, Kagome led them to the living room where she had spread out her own textbook and notes.

"Hey Kagome, have you found those notes yet?" Inu Yasha asked.

"Oh yeah, sorry I spaced. They're on my desk," She replied, glad for an excuse to leave and catch her breath. Rushing out of the room and up the stairs, she slammed the door behind her and counted as she inhaled, then exhaled, trying to calm her breathing.

It was surreal to say the least. Sango and Miroku were being ultra polite, and while they weren't necessarily rude to begin with, even the pitch of their voices had changed. Inu Yasha was being well behaved, and hadn't cursed once in five minutes.

Sesshoumaru was the only one behaving normally, and she thanked the gods for that. Moving to her desk and grabbing the thick sheaf of papers and walked back downstairs feeling marginally better when she saw the group in a loose cluster, each becoming embroiled in their own book.

"What's this?" Inu Yasha demanded, looking down at her notebook. Kagome rushed forward, grabbing the book and hugging it protectively to her chest.

"Nothing, just some chemistry homework," She muttered, flushing hotly.

"Don't tell me I have to learn that, it looked like something Fukui would write," He groaned.

"No, it's just some extra credit," She mumbled, sitting and handing him the stack of notes.

"You are a terrible liar," Sesshoumaru reminded her, and she stuck her tongue out at him childishly.

"It's just something I'm working on. Anyway, I've having problems with my calculus, care to help me out?" She demanded almost petulantly. He nodded once and she pulled her textbook over the table to them and opened it, showing him a formula she was having trouble understanding.

By the time noon rolled around, Nodoka was telling them all to take a break and eat in the dining room. Left with little choice, everyone followed Kagome to the table and allowed themselves to be served.

"This smells amazing!" Inu Yasha practically cooed as he stared down at the plate. Everyone uttered small thanks yous before digging in, although the nervous tension in the room spiked when Nodoka sat down next to Kagome.

"So how are the studies coming?" She asked.

"Fine, ma'am. It's so nice to be able to study somewhere quiet. My apartment is always so noisy," Miroku commented. "I live next to a musician," He admitted.

"Well you're welcome here anytime. It's good Kagome has gotten serious about school again, and I'm happy she has such nice study partners. The group she was with before didn't suit her goals very well."

"We're lucky to have her," Sango replied calmly, although Kagome could see a flicker of irritation in the woman's brown eyes.

"This is amazing!" Inu Yasha whooped, mouth half full to break the sudden tension. Kagome's shoulders relaxed and she sent a thank you to the heavens for the rude male.

"Thank you, it's always nice to have people to cook for," Nodoka replied, getting up and leaving. The minute she was out of the room Sango's chipper smile turned into a frown.

"I understand now," The woman said quietly before taking a bite of her rice. Kagome shrugged helplessly, worried her mother would hear her if she said anything.

"After this perhaps we should go to the library," Miroku suggested delicately. Everyone nodded in agreement except for the half brothers, one of which was too busy scarfing down everything on his plate. Sesshoumaru merely looked bored as he rearranged the food on his plate, never touching a thing. Kagome touched nothing either, shuffling her own food around until it looked like she had eaten.

* * *

"I can't believe she bought it," Kagome sighed as she walked with her friends.

"Your mom is creepy," Sango muttered. "Your goals? Does she have any idea what she's talking about?" The woman demanded angrily. Kagome shrugged again and Sesshoumaru was beginning to wonder at the wisdom of this latest plan.

"Mom just doesn't want me stranded," Kagome explained, although her voice lacked conviction. He watched her shoulders slump and felt a flicker or annoyance. The only bright side was that she hadn't started panicking about their show later that night, although he expected hysterics any second.

"It's your life," Sango bit out. "You should be allowed to do what you want with it. What happened to the last group?"

"It was part of the pack. Kouga, Kujaku and her brother, sometimes Hakkaku. She told them they weren't allowed over anymore after I got a C, she still thinks it was because of the pack."

"And what if you get another?" Sango countered.

"I won't," Kagome promised.

"What if you do though?"

"Enough," He finally broke in, voice calm and cold. "If it occurs, a solution will be found."

The rest of the walk to their cars was blessedly silent. He ignored the overhanging, oppressive cloud of anger and was grateful when they reached their cars and separated.

"Where to first?" Kagome sighed as she hopped into the front seat, much to Inu Yasha's chagrin.

"Why do you get the front seat?" He whined. "I look like a fucking kid riding in the back."

"Because I'm cuter," She retorted hotly.

"Koharu's apartment," Sesshoumaru rumbled. "She refuses to do our makeup until we try her new hair treatment."

That condition had almost broken their partnership with the cosmotology student. Anyone trying to corner him was generally ignored and cut off completely, but his half brother had pointed out that no one else knew the first thing about stage makeup, and none of them were as good as the diminutive female. After an hour of reasoning, he had given in to her demands with the condition that she never make such again.

Her obsession with their hair bordered on uncomfortable, and it was yet another thing he wouldn't miss when the last six months of his punishment were over.

"Oi, we got the pictures last night," Inu Yasha cut in, his small laptop already out. "Shippou did a really good job."

Kagome visibly brightened as he handed her the computer, a picture of her already on the screen. Silently she flipped through the photos, finger clicking every few seconds. He eyed her face from the corner of his eye, pleased to see that her depression had lifted completely. Lips were parted and she was entranced by the images.

"Is this really me?" She finally asked, eyes still fastened to the screen.

"Surreal, ain't it?" Inu Yasha asked, peering over her shoulder. "I felt like that at first too."

"I never thought, I mean, I've seen video of myself, but these photos are amazing. I didn' realize you could capture such movement in a still."

"Shippou's got loads of talent and he loves us as subjects. He's had some time to perfect his technique. The first couple of times it was nothing but a mess of fire everywhere, you could barely see us."

"These are, I mean. Is there any way I could get a copy?" She breathed.

"Sure, I can burn them to a disk. Do you want the video too?"

"Video?"

"Here," He said, reaching over the seat and scrolling around. Sesshoumaru suddenly heard the sounds of fire whipping around mixing with Kagome's delighted gasp. Her hand was covering her lips, almost obscuring her open mouth. Little gasps and sounds of pleasure mixed with the noise from the video and he continued watching from the corner of his eye.

When the video had finished, he noticed her looking first at him and then at the screen, then back at him again.

"We really looked like that?"

"Hn."

"Told you," Inu Yasha gloated as he took the computer back and leaned back in his seat. "You work better together, even better than when I work with him."

Whatever that comment had meant to her, it made her quiet and contemplative for the rest of the drive.

* * *

Kagome watched Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru submitting to the young woman's ministrations. Whatever the girl's feelings for Miroku were, she was not above cooing about the long hair of the half brothers as she rubbed some concoction in it, weighting it down.

"See, told you that you have nice hair," Kagome snorted, taking a measure of glee in their obvious discomfort. Inu Yasha settled for muttering a small 'keh' while Sesshoumaru said nothing at all, although his glare implied consequences.

"It smells funny," Inu Yasha muttered darkly as she began massaging the mixture into his hair.

"It's just some herbs I added in for relaxation purposes. I tried this mixture out on my friend Yura and her hair feels like silk now," Koharu boasted. "I could do yours," She offered. Shaking her head vehemently, Kagome uttered a quick 'no'.

"I'm fine," She assured.

"But it would relax those waves. I haven't seen unruly hair like yours before," Koharu commented as she wrapped plastic wrap around Sesshoumaru's hair. "I'd like to see how much it will straighten it out."

"I'm fine," Kagome quipped, trying not to panic at the idea of losing the waves. "My father's hair was very curly and my mom's is straight. I fell in the middle."

"Still-" Koharu began, but stopped when Sesshoumaru made a disapproving sound. Eyes wide, she stepped back and began working on wrapping Inu Yasha's long hair up.

"How long we have to keep this crap in?" Inu Yasha muttered.

"An hour, no less," Koharu rebuked sternly when he was about to complain. "I've got some movies we can watch. But it takes an hour to get it's full effect. I want to see how well it does on long hair."

Instead of the movie, Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru both began discussing the pictures that would go onto the site. Shippou had taken over a hundred and fifty, and they were trying to pick out the best shots. Kagome could hardly tell what qualified a shot, but she watched with avid interest.

"How did he get pictures of us while taking video?" Kagome asked, wrinkling her nose as she peered over Sesshoumaru's shoulder. The mixture really did smell awful.

"He took still from the video and did whatever it is he does to them," Inu Yasha explained, then pointed to another photo. "I think that one should go up."

The picture was of Kagome and Sesshoumaru closer together, her fans in the air and him sweeping a blur of fire around her body with the fire sword, his painted face cast in shadow. It was one of her favorites of the entire set, and she had trouble looking away.

"Hnn," Sesshoumaru said, typing up the picture's number before scrolling past it. They continued this way, Koharu joining them, movie forgotten as they scrolled through the plethora of photos. Proud of her work, she paid more attention to the makeup than the fire, Sesshoumaru seemed more concerned with the shot itself, and Kagome focused on the beauty, usually agreeing with Inu Yasha when a particularly good shot came up. Sometimes Sesshoumaru shook his head, disagreeing.

If it had not been for the face paint and the costume, she would have been extremely self conscious about the whole thing. But looking at the figure in the photos was like looking in a dark mirror. The woman playing with fire looked nothing like her. Even before Koharu had braided her hair, she looked so utterly foreign to herself that she wondered if Shippou had put the pictures through photoshop.

"That's it. It was a good shoot," Inu Yasha commented as they finished scrolling through the pictures, a decently sized list typed up of which ones would go onto the site.

"It's about time to remove the cream too," Koharu sighed. "Who wants to go first?"

"Me," Inu Yasha snapped. "This stuff reeks," He added as he walked back towards Koharu's bathroom.

"It's still hard to believe this is happening," Kagome admitted in a quiet voice as Sesshoumaru closed the laptop.

"Life changes often happen swiftly," He commented dryly.

Just then a scream rent the air, followed by the high pitched, hysterical shouting of Inu Yasha.

"What have you done?" He demanded. Something crashed and broke against the wall. Kagome bolted for the bathroom, fear and panic choking he when something else broke.

"It's the wrong mixture, I'm so sorry!" Koharu wailed, tears running down her flushed cheeks. "I grabbed the wrong bottle!"

"How the fuck do you confuse dye with a goddamn hair cream?" Inu Yasha snapped, shoving his head back under the detachable shower head and running it through over his obviously bleached locks.

"They look the same, both are white. Working with the dye and chemicals all the time has killed my sense of smell, I just assumed-" She whimpered, watching as more and more of Inu Yasha's hair was revealed.

"Well you fucking assumed wrong!" He shouted over the sound of the water.

"Oh gods, Sesshoumaru," Kagome breathed, eyes widening. She was about to make for the stoic elder brother when she turned and saw him, pale hazel eyes narrowed with displeasure.

"What did you use?" He ground out calmly, amazing Kagome. Inu Yasha was still cursing loudly as he washed his hair out, threatening a thousand tortures and a slow death.

"It was my bleach mixture," The teenager squeaked, eyes wide and face flushed.

"You confused bleach with hair cream?" He asked, eyes growing cold and mouth pulling into a frown.

"They look the same," Koharu burst out, tears starting anew. "They even have the same texture. Look, I can fix it," She began, stopping when Inu Yasha made an indignant noise.

"Fix it?" He raged, pulling away from the water. Kagome couldn't help but stare at the shock of white hair hanging in wet tendrils around his face. "Fix it? I'm never letting you near my fucking hair again!" He snarled.

"Guys, calm down," Kagome began as Koharu trembled beneath the angry gazes of the two brothers. "Koharu, what are the options?" Kagome asked.

"I mistook the bleach for my cream, which means I threw the cream away yesterday. I can mix up some dye," She began, stopping when Inu Yasha growled deep in his throat, ready to launch into another volley of insults. "Or I can deep condition it now, and talk to my teacher and see what to do."

"Guys?" Kagome asked, looking from Inu Yasha to Sesshoumaru.

"I'm not letting her near me with dye again," Inu Yasha snapped. Sesshoumaru nodded, eyes cold and face neutral, although Kagome could tell from the set of his shoulders that he was beyond angry.

"Koharu, I can wash out Sesshoumaru's hair while you condition Inu Yasha's, that sound good?"

The quiet girl nodded several times as she swiftly exited the bathroom, carefully avoiding contact with the elder brother despite the tight fit. Inu Yasha followed, muttering angrily.

"Okay, time to do this," Kagome sighed. "For what it's worth, it could be worse."

"How is that?" He remarked, voice curiously detached as she began unwrapping the plastic wrap.

"It could have all fallen out. Oh, wow," She whispered.

"What?" Was that a note of panic? She felt bad for him, but couldn't help but be amazed.

"Bend over the tub," She instructed. Still looking slightly shaken, he did as she asked and she turned the water back on, taking the shower head in hand and running it over his hair.

It took several minutes to clean the thick, long mane. Carefully she scrubbed his scalp and then down, washing away all traces of the bleach and exposing bright white hair. By the time she was finished, Koharu had come to check on them, eyes widening when she saw the man's wet hair. Kagome gestured for her to go away. Koharu threw her a towel and she caught it deftly.

Rubbing the mass down gently, she made a noise and stepped back, waiting for him to stand. When he had straightened, a lock of bright white fell over his face and he examined it carefully, as if he were looking at a specimen of some other person's hair.

"It doesn't look bad," Kagome offered, face flushing when she realized how her attempt to assure could be misconstrued. He walked past her, silent and unblinking, and looked into the mirror. The white clung to his fair skin, and while he wasn't looking at her, she allowed herself to admire the image.

He had been handsome before, now he was nothing short of striking. His skin now darker than the white, he reminded her of a snow predator, one of the sleek white cats that hunted men in blizzards.

"I look like I am wearing a kabuki actor's wig. Disgusting," He muttered darkly.

"No!" Kagome gasped. "You're beautiful!"

He turned an incredulous stare on her and she shut her mouth, blushing furiously.

"Like a spirit," She added, unable to meet his gaze. Not deigning to reply, he walked past her, damp hair still clinging to his white shirt. Following closely behind, she walked out to see Inu Yasha sitting in front of the laptop typing furiously, his hair once again in plastic wrap.

"She went to go get some lunch," He muttered angrily, fingers still punching the keys, clattering loudly. "Least she could fucking do. Kagome, she said use those two bottles, all of them, on Sesshoumaru's hair and plastic wrap it."

Nodding once, Kagome grabbed the bottles and had the man in question sit in a chair in front of her. His hair seemed to soak up the first bottle, and she massaged it in gently, wondering if his scalp hurt at all from the bleach. The next bottle sat on top of his hair, the conditioner covering it so completely for a moment she fooled herself into thinking his hair was still black beneath all of it.

Plastic wrapping the heavy, wet mass proved to be more awkward than she thought, and it was with many murmured apologies that she finally accomplished it. Throughout the whole ordeal he remained silent, and when she finished he went and sat next to Inu Yasha.

'For once they're not arguing at least,' She thought dourly, going back to her backpack and pulling out her notebook and chemistry book. While the two males wordlessly worked on something, she assumed the website, she opened the chemistry text and began pouring over it.

Her idea could very well be a bust, but Inu Yasha's comment about being a mad scientist had triggered something in her mind, and every spare moment she had was being devoted to it. After having made several false starts, she had spoken to a teacher and gotten a better idea of what she was doing.

Now she was just pouring through various elements and chemicals, writing them down and going through the different formulas to find flaws. It was boring and tedious, but her hope and enthusiasm kept her at it. The best part was that her mother didn't recognize any of it, and would never catch on to what she was doing, instead mistaking it for schoolwork.

"Sesshoumaru," She mumbled absentmindedly.

"What is it?" He asked, just as absorbed in his own work.

"I need to know the mixture of the fuel you use."

"Sixty percent white gas and forty percent paraffin oil," He answered, not even looking up. She made a note to the side and continued working on her formulas. When Koharu came back, she was carrying three brown paper bags with her cell phone tucked in her ear. She barely paid the group any attention as she sat the bags on the table, her attention focused solely on her conversation.

Eavesdropping as she pulled the cartons out of the bag and began setting them out. Kagome strained to hear any news. Koharu kept talking as she went to the kitchen and got plates from the kitchen. From what she could gather, the girl was talking to someone, hopefully her professor, about fixing the mess she'd made of the men's hair.

Plates clattered onto the table followed by chopsticks. Kagome moved her notebook to the side and began opening cartons of food. Koharu sat down and continued talking, oblivious to the stares she was receiving.

"Are you sure?" She asked, eyes widening. After several nods she bid farewell to the teacher and sat the phone down, looking sheepish.

"Well?" Inu Yasha demanded.

"My teacher says that because the blech probably fried it, there's only one thing she would recommend dye wise, and that's a mix of henna and indigo."

"Henna and indigo?" Kagome asked, confused. Koharu nodded.

"But it'll be expensive, and take at least three or four weeks to get here, since it has to be ordered online."

"Three or four WEEKS?" Inu Yasha demanded.

"And it's heinously expensive," Koharu muttered.

"And you'll be paying for it," Inu Yasha bit out. "This is your fucking fault!"

"I can't pay that much!" Koharu gasped, eyes tearing under the verbal assault.

"Everyone, let's calm down and eat our lunch while we figure this out," Kagome murmured, trying to keep her cool. Watching Sesshoumaru's face had proven instructive, he looked ready to do some great violence on someone, probably the young woman sitting next to her.

"How much will it cost?" He finally asked.

"Around four thousand yen," She mumbled.

"Four thousand?" Kagome stuttered.

"Each. Unless we cut off their hair."

The silence that followed that utterance was thick enough to choke on.

"No one's cutting my goddamn hair! Four fucking thousand?" Inu Yasha demanded, incredulous. "You've gotta be out of your mind. Why can't we just use regular dye?"

"Because the bleach has already damaged your hair enough," Koharu explained, studiously avoiding looking at anyone. "If we use regular dye, it could cause a lot of breaks. We'd be better off just shaving your head."

Silence filled the room at the girl's declaration, and for a moment Kagome was worried Inu Yasha was going to do something foolish. He looked ready to jump over the table and hurt the girl.

"There is nothing to be done then," Sesshoumaru finally said. "It will just have to wait."

"I'll do deep conditioning every week," She started.

"No, just provide us with the conditioner, we will do it on our own," He rebutted coldly.

"But-" The girl started, gaze moving to rest on his stump.

"I'll help him if Inu Yasha won't," Kagome interrupted, seeing the hardening of Sesshoumaru's eyes.

"That is agreeable," He rumbled, eyes still filled with undisguised animosity.

"Let's just eat," Kagome sighed. "We've got a big night."

"Someone passing out because they're hungry would just be a fucking bow on an already swell day," Inu Yasha spat venomously, but he began serving himself.

"I suppose you don't want me doing your makeup and hair anymore," Koharu sighed.

"Incorrect. You will pay for the dyes by working for us for free so long as we perform. On our schedule. Consider yourself on call," Sesshoumaru replied, focused on serving himself. Kagome looked to the girl, who as readying herself for a protest. Raising a hand, she stopped the teenager and smiled gently, mouthing 'I'll talk to him'.

It was enough for the girl and they ate in relative silence, Inu Yasha opening the laptop and talking quietly to himself. Kagome finished her food and offered to help Koharu with the dishes. The makeup artist still looked ready to cry at any second and feeling bad for her, Kagome gave her shoulder a pat.

"I really screwed up," The girl sighed.

"It happens, everyone makes mistakes. Besides, I kind of like their new look. It'll definitely look cool while they perform," She tried, lowering her voice so as not to be overheard.

"It is pretty awesome, isn't it?" Koharu asked through a tremulous smile. "I know people that would kill to get their hair white like that."

"If they don't come around to it, then there's the dye. It's an easy fix."

"But an expensive one," Koharu sighed. "I can't imagine being on call until they get out of college though," She added wearily.

"It's better than breaking the bank now. Besides, it might not be that bad. Who knows, the troupe might become famous, and you'll be our makeup artist," Kagome joked. Koharu's expression told her plainly that the idea was so far fetched as to be insane and Kagome shrugged in response.

"It's about time to take the conditioner off. I'll get Inu Yasha's. Can you do Sesshoumaru's again, he likes you a lot more than me," Koharu begged.

"He'll get over this mistake soon enough," Kagome tried to assure.

"No, he likes you more than me period, even before this. Trust me," Koharu muttered, slipping from the kitchen. Kagome could hear her speaking to Inu Yasha and heard him sniping as she led him away. When she walked back out to the dining room, eying the man sitting at the table.

"She is still young," Sesshoumaru commented, not looking up from the computer screen.

"We all are," She replied, sighing as she took a seat next to him. Ignoring his stiffness, she peered down at the laptop screen, smiling as she looked at the new layout they had apparently been working on. Not much had changed, but there were more thumbnails on it, all of them including her somehow.

"Thank you," She murmured, leaning against him. Ignoring his flinch, she waited until he relaxed and sighed.

"I do not understand why you are thanking me," He admitted at last.

"For letting me be a part of this. I know the pack likes having me around, but it's once a week. Even though Kujaku and Kouga go to the same school as us, it's hard to find time with them. With you and the others, it's different. I feel more connected to all of you."

Not entirely sure how to respond to such a declaration, he stayed silent, not daring to look at her without his hair to hide his gaze. He could feel her blue eyes looking up at him, waiting expectantly, but he stayed silent.

"Always the strong silent type, huh? I can deal with that," She giggled, moving away from him when the noises in the bathroom stopped. He felt strange about the lack of contact but wisely stayed quiet. Minutes later Inu Yasha walked in, rubbing his long white hair down with a towel.

"You're up next," He growled, eyes on his hair the whole time. Kagome stood and walked towards the bathroom, leaving him little room but to follow. Koharu rushed past him, eyes still on the floor. By some small miracle he kept from saying something derogatory. The mess had been made, and he would have to deal with it.

It was made easier by Kagome's presence, though he'd never tell her. Saying nothing, she washed the conditioner out of his hair, massaging his scalp gently as she did so. Her fingers moved through the massacre of his once glorious hair and he tried not think about what he looked like. Before he had stood out because of his arm. Now he would look like some delinquent punk rocker, or worse yet, an old man.

The woman's earlier words came back to him, and a mirthless smirk danced on his lips. A spirit. Perhaps that was true. He was nothing like the man he had been before his father had disowned him. Now he was a pale shade of the strong man he had been, merely a survivor of circumstance. Maybe it was just as well that his physical appearance had altered so drastically.

The water shut off, ending his ruminations. Still strangely quiet, he let her begin drying his hair. She was nothing if not gentle, her ministrations bordering on hesitant, as if afraid she would break him. Allowing her to continue, he was surprised when she moved behind him, her legs straddling either side of his body. If he moved his head, it would be snuggled comfortably in the apex of her thighs.

That thought completely derailed anything remotely depressing, the urge to turn and nuzzle her there sending jagged bolts of lust shooting him. Unable to stop that image from evolving into something much more intimate he stiffened and was unable to keep from groaning.

"Did that hurt?" Kagome asked quietly.

_'Yes.' _"No."

"Is your scalp tender?" She murmured, continuing.

_'Lower.'_ "Yes."

"I'll try to be more gentle," She offered, the already light pressure decreasing until he wondered if she was drying his hair at all. Afraid of standing and giving himself away, he stayed kneeling, head over the tub. With an iron will he began thinking of that night and the routines. Of the website and the coding he would have to finish before the page was up to his standards. Even thinking about his hair and it's current state was preferable.

"That's good for the moment. If you sit on the toilet I can get the top," She told him.

He moved so quickly he surprised even himself,bending forward slightly to hide his state.

"It's actually very pretty," She commented as she began toweling off the top part of his head. He made no effort to disguise the disbelieving noise that escaped. His eyes peered from behind wet tendrils of hair at the line of her stomach exposed as she moved. The bottom hem of her shirt shifted, raising and then lowering, the milky line of flesh widening and then narrowing almost hypnotically. Biting the inside of his cheek, he resisted leaning forward to taste it.

"There's a blow dryer on the counter. Do you want me to use it?"

"I do not blow dry my hair," He bit out, voice rougher than he intended and strange to his ears. She crouched down to look at him, eye to eye. Soft hands cupped his face and he couldn't help but feel badly for the worry he saw reflected in her blue eyes.

"It's not bad, okay? If you don't like it, you can dye it. You can use my share of the performance money."

She had the generosity of someone that had never known hunger or bills, one that had known little hardship. An innocent generosity he could not avail himself of, if for nothing else the sake of his pride.

"I am fine. It can wait," He replied, shocked at the smile blooming on her face.

"You look like Sephiroth," She told him. "Lots of chicks find him hot."

"Instead of one wing I have one arm," He retorted, standing, not thinking of her position as she did so. Suddenly she was eye level with his crotch, and even he couldn't keep from blushing. She shot up so quickly he was surprised she didn't fall over. Her face bright red, she avoided looking him in the eye as she smiled and mumbled something noncommittal before rushing from the bathroom.

Moving to look in the mirror, he stared thoughtfully at the man watching him. White hair framed his face, the overall effect somehow making him look paler. Even his eyes looked lighter by comparison, and he wondered if it was the light reflecting off of the white mass hanging down in a heavy curtain.

It was eerie, looking at this stranger in the mirror, and he had to look away, suddenly uncomfortable with his reflection. It was too much a stranger, too foreign. The difference mocked him, yet another reminder of how his life was not his, and that very little was in his control despite all appearances. Six months, and less and less he looked like the son his mother had birthed and his father had raised. More and more the reflection in the mirror stepped away from the image he had cultivated for himself and became a spirit.

_'A circus freak,' _He thought derisively.

_'I will have her braid it and keep it out of my sight,' _He told himself, leaving the bathroom, desperate to get away from the stranger.

* * *

"Is it always like this?" Kagome asked, peering from the small pavilion like tent that had been erected for their use. Dropping the tent flap back in place, she turned to Sango, who was still slipping into a pair of tight black leather pants.

The smell of fuel and leather permeated the small tent, making Kagome slightly dizzy.

"Not always. This is some bigwig's party. There are others that aren't so stiff," The woman replied, trying to slip into an equally tight black leather top with long sleeves. "They'll pretend not to be amazed so they don't look bad. Happens every time. Although be careful afterward. All of us always get invited inside." The warning was muffled as she shimmied and tugged on the supple hide. When her head finally popped out, she was flushed and rolling her eyes.

Kagome nodded, knowing anything she did would reflect on the troupe and could either aid or hurt their chances at future gigs. No one wanted rude performers near them, not when they could easily find other forms of entertainment.

After tugging on a leather shirt similar to Sango's, albeit sleeveless, she bent and stretched, getting used to the tension of the hide. Immediately she felt stifled and hated it.

"I'm here!" Koharu singsonged, stepping into the tent with a nervous smile. "Miroku and Koharu are being so paranoid about me putting up their hair," She grumbled, looking slightly put out. Her makeup case thumped onto the ground, the contents clattering around inside.

"If you hadn't bleached inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru's it wouldn't be a problem," Sango retorted before bracing herself, face relaxed as Koharu began sponging a base on.

"It was an accident," Koharu whined, although Kagome could tell she wasn't earning any points with the older woman. Shrugging helplessly, she peeked out of the tent again, squeaking when her eyes met a bare chest striped with paint.

"Hey, we need to get in here while they come outside. Looks funny if we're just standing around waiting," Inu Yasha said. "It is safe, right?"

"Y-yeah," Kagome muttered, pulling back into the tent.

Battery operated lamps cast shadows everywhere, and Kagome was surprised by Koharu's latest designs. The males not only had their faces painted, but dark curved lines sloped over their skin mimicking tribal tattoos. Even Kohaku, who was slight of build compared to the rest, looked savage and frighteningly male.

She chanced a look at Sesshoumaru and quickly turned away, feeling like she had gotten caught staring at a porn magazine. His long white hair was pulled into a braid and the flesh of his chest was only traced with two stripes on each side. His face, likewise, only had two stripes over the white paint.

"Did you warn her?" Miroku asked quietly as Koharu worked on Sango's makeup.

"Yeah," Sango confirmed.

"Don't move your lips!" Koharu groaned, stomping her foot.

Within minutes Koharu was done and moved back to allow Sango up. The woman's face had been painted white, the only interruption being bright, crimson lips to stand out. She looked rather plain compared to the men.

"Your turn," Koharu mumbled, having deflated slightly since the men had walked in. Kagome sat and allowed herself to be made up, her face covered in white. When her lips were finished, she was about to get up when Koharu shook her head.

"Just a little more," The girl mumbled, grabbing what looked like a thick eyeshadow pencil and quickly moving it over Kagome's skin. With a critical eye she looked at her work, comparing the two halves of Kagome's face. When she was done, she nodded.

"Now you can get up," She allowed, stepping back.

"They're starting to gather on the terrace. Everyone know the schedule?" Inu Yasha asked. Everyone nodded. Suddenly the tent was a flurry of movement while everyone went for their supplies. Kohaku and Inu Yasha moved out of the tent, moving the flaps back. There was an excited titter that Kagome could barely hear over the roar of blood in her ears as Sango held out her sword for Sesshoumaru to light. Miroku touched his staff to the flames and they were off, bouncing out of the tent as if they'd been launched from a springboard.

"I don't think I can do this," Kagome murmured, heart slamming it's way into her throat.

"You will do fine," Sesshoumaru rumbled, eyes on the pair fighting it out. Feeling more and more unsteady by the moment, halfway through the routine she grabbed her fans and flicked the excess fuel off of the kevlar. As the routine was wrapping up, Sesshoumaru lit the fans and nodded.

Feeling strange and eerily calm, she ran out of the tent, circling the two performers, one fan held high and the other away from her side. The first part ended, and she began. Feeling alone and awkward, she focused on the eyes peering from inside the tent, remembered she couldn't let them down.

Moving through the forms Sesshoumaru had been teaching her, she surprised herself by making them slightly wilder, her kicks going a little higher, her thrusts more forceful. Sesshoumaru came out, a yell echoing through the still night as he bore down on her, the flaming sword in his hands suddenly terrible and frightening.

Feeling as if she were trapped in a battle for her life, they came together and flew apart, the metal from their props dinging and clattering angrily, and war cries echoed through the night. The crowd watching became a dim realization, fading into the darkness outside the glow of their fire. The world shrank to that light, and when her fan slipped from her fingers, the physical memory of her routine breaking through the strange haze she'd been surrounded by, she was panting heavily. When she fell to the ground, it was an act, although it didn't have to be forced. Five minutes of that intensity had hit like the effects of a drug, and the stars in the sky seemed incredibly bright.

"Are you alright?" He asked as Kohaku and Miroku began circling around them, starting the third part of the act.

"I think I'm going to die," She admitted, moving to stand and grab her fan. Slamming it shut and killing the last of the flames, they ran back to the tent and the second she was surrounded by the smell of fuel she relaxed, feeling as if she were settling back into her skin.

"You're a natural performer," Inu Yasha commented as he grabbed two more sword props and slung the fuel off of them. "That was awesome."

"Thanks," She replied breathlessly.

"The party came closer to the field while you two were performing," He told her, a huge grin plastered on his face. "Which means we'll probably get invited to mingle. Which means free food."

"Do you always think of your stomach?" She demanded, noticing Sesshoumaru was being oddly silent as he accepted one of the swords from Inu Yasha.

"Nah. Sometimes I think about a good woman making me food," He laughed. "Don't forget to light Sango in a minute," He added as Sesshoumaru lit their swords. With that comment hanging in the air, the pair were off, darting from the tent and into the flurry of fire.

Kagome grabbed one of the lighters from the tools bag and Sango's buugeng, props she still hadn't seen in action. The strange, s shaped props felt awkward in her hands as she flicked off the excess fluid before walking from the tent.

"Here you go," Kagome told her. Sango looked flustered as she took them.

"I hate wearing leather. I can't wait for it to get warmer and Sesshoumaru puts these in storage," She muttered as fire raced along the soaked kevlar wicks.

"We could always do it topless like they do," Kagome sniggered, Sango aiming a playful glare in her direction before taking off.

The fire surrounding the group made it difficult to see individual bodies, although Kagome had no problems seeing the crowd that had gathered around the controlled inferno. There was still a huge group on the terrace, but Kagome was pleased to see the awe and curiosity on the more curious onlooker's faces.

Towards the end of the routine, props began to dim and flicker, then go out one by one, the night growing darker and darker as each performer separated from the group and made for the tent. In the end, only Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru were left, both looking like demons raised from the netherworld as they continued until Inu Yasha's sword went out and Sesshoumaru's bare foot was pressed to his throat.

They made for the tent, ignoring the clapping behind them. When they stepped in, sweat glinted in the dim light and Inu Yasha made to rub his chest.

"No!" Koharu shouted. "You'll ruin it!"

"So?"

"Excuse me," A voice broke in. Everyone turned to the tent entrance to see a tall, rather stiff individual had entered behind them. "Mr. Mamoto would like to invite you inside for refreshments."

"See?" Koharu snapped.

"Free food!" Inu Yasha crowed.

"If you would like to change-"

"No," Sesshoumaru rumbled. "We stay in costume."

"As you will it," The man sniffed disdainfully, making no attempt to hide his contempt of the rebuttal. The tent flap closed behind him, signaling them to follow.

"Well?" Inu Yasha demanded, halfway out of the tent before anyone could blink. "Come on! I'm hungry!"

Already feeling jittery and strange from her performance, Kagome cast a quick look in Sesshoumaru's direction. His eyes were hard and the facepaint made it impossible to tell his feelings as he followed his half brother from the tent, leading everyone else out. When they exited, the crowd had already dispersed, moving back towards the terrace and inside the house.

Unsure of what to do besides follow, as she had no clue as to protocols for the group, she moved closer and closer to Sango, seeking companionable comfort from the other woman. Grateful when Sango picked up on her hesitance and moved closer, she nodded once happily.

Climbing up the steps proved to be harder than she thought. Polite clapping began, turning into applause, and for a moment she had the irrational urge to run and hide, to leave the people on the terrace behind and make for the tent. Taking comfort in her friends, imagining them as pillars of strength surrounding her, she nodded and bowed respectfully, glad the makeup hid most of her expression.

People came to compliment them and offer their appreciation of the show, some even asked about the props. Most of them got too close for Kagome's comfort, a strange, heated curiosity in their gazes that made her feel uncomfortable. Even when servants or caterers, she wasn't sure which, came by offering glasses of champagne or food she wasn't able to accept, her appetite gone. Even after most of the crowd dispersed the feeling didn't go away. Several men had spoken to her and Sango both, and she felt like a small animal as they eyed her strangely. Unused to being subject to such gazes, she looked around, terror spiking when she realized Sango had drifted off.

"Excuse me gentlemen, I'm sure the lady would like to avail herself of the amenities," A smooth, light voice cut in. The owner of the voice, a delicate looking woman, was smiling and gesturing towards her. Remembering Sango's words of caution, she nodded politely and excused herself, anxiety calming as she was guided away from the men.

"You are new to the group?" The woman asked. When Kagome looked surprised the woman smiled genially. "I have seen their performances before, I have not seen you."

"I am," She supplied. "This is my first performance. The attention is a little overwhelming. Thank you, Mrs.-" She tried respectfully, unsure of how to behave around the woman.

"Kinjo," The woman replied with a smile as they walked into the palatial mansion. Trying not to stare, she kept her eyes directed forward, flinching when she noticed the people that were in turn staring at her. Behind small smiles were sneers she could see reflected in their eyes, making her draw even closer to the woman. Behind her she could hear tittering sounds, and she wondered if they were laughing at her.

'Let them,' She thought, almost belligerent. She was doing something she loved and making money at it. If they saw nothing but a circus girl in facepaint then that was their problem. She knew she was a promising college student with a bright future. Straightening her spine and squaring her shoulders, she met the stares with proud defiance. They might have money, but that gave them no right to judge her. When her blue eyes met glittering dark ones, she was surprised and even a little pleased when some moved their gazes away, or widened in shock. It was the amusement that only sevred to further her anger.

When they moved off to a side hallway, Mrs. Kinjo let out an unladylike snort that could have been a giggle.

"Just like your troupe leaders," The woman said, giggling. The sound was that of a younger woman, and Kagome paused, wondering if she had done something wrong.

"I'm sorry-" She began, but the other woman waved her hand.

"Oh, for me it's half the entertainment," The older woman rebutted. "I was the one to persuade the owner to let you all come in. I never get tired of you all reminding the upper echelon that you can meet their gaze without shame. It's refreshing, for me at least."

Feeling slightly used and unsure if she had just been complimented or insulted, Kagome chose silence, although Mrs. Kinjo said enough for both of them.

"I love seeing your troupe. I wish I could get my husband to see them, he would love it too," She sighed, suddenly morose. "Tell me, how did you come to join them?"

"Pure luck," Kagome answered, relaxing enough to smile as they navigated the hallways. "Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru saw me with my fans and Sesshoumaru offered to show me how to use them correctly. When he offered to hire me, it was sort of a dream come true."

"You like performing then?"

"Well, I like the fire," She admitted. "But the crowd, I'm lucky the fire makes me forget they're there."

"Are you a student?"

"Yes ma'am, at Tokyo University. I'm in my second year."

"Does this help pay your tuition?"

"Yes ma'am," Kagome answered slowly, opting for the lie, beginning to feel suspicious. The woman's questions were growing increasingly personal, but she didn't want to seem rude by not answering. Anything she did could reflect badly on the troupe, and while her tuition didn't depend on the money, the rest of the troupe did need it for school.

As if sensing her disquiet, Mrs. Kinjo remained silent for the rest of the walk to the bathrooms. Kagome excused herself and went in. More than anything she wanted to splash water on her face, but it would ruin the makeup. Looking in the mirror, she was struck dumb by the stranger staring back at her.

Blue eyes were hidden in the mask of white, blinking rapidly. Two long magenta stripes started high on her cheekbones and sloped downward gently on her face, ending in tapered points. Koharu had matched her makeup and Sesshoumaru's.

'I will kill her,' She mentally growled, although the similarity pleased a small part of herself while mortifying her at the same time. Had Sesshoumaru noticed? Would he think she asked to match him? Was he pleased by the similarity?

Shaking her head to clear the thoughts, she pulled her hair rout of it's tight bun and shook it out, running her hands through it. Immediately she felt better and turned the faucet on and dipped her fingers below the faucet, then ran her fingers through the unruly mass of waves, feeling slightly cooler.

'Leather. I hate leather,' She lamented as she shut off the faucet and dried her hands on a towel. Lifting the fabric and letting cool air hit her stomach, she thanked the kami that at least hers didn't have sleeves as Sango's did. Savoring the feeling as long as she could, she pulled the leather back down. When she exited, Mrs. Kinjo was waiting.

"It would not be good if you were found wandering alone," The woman explained as she began leading Kagome back towards the party. The trip was noticeably shorter, and more silent. Wondering why the woman had taken the long way to the bathrooms, she shrugged once, grateful that she had been give a chance to loose her hair and get some water.

When they arrived back, Sango immediately swooped down, eyes dark and hand firm at her elbow as she explained that they had been looking for the girl.

"Where were you?" Sango whispered furiously, dragging her through the crowd.

"A guest was showing me to the bathroom," Kagome began, but stopped when they broke through to the other side of the gathering and stepped onto the terrace. Sesshoumaru was standing there, looking tall and foreboding and angry despite his utter lack of expression.

"We are leaving," He stated imperiously, eyes cold as they swept over her. "The others have already gathered our things."

With that he turned on his heel and began walking away, down the steps. Sango had since dropped her arm and followed, moving so quickly Kagome wondered if she had somehow caught the plague. Bewildered, she followed, having to jog to keep up with the angry strides of the other two performers. When they reached the cars and the others studiously ignored her, she lost her cool.

"What is going on?" She demanded angrily, still too unsettled to modulate her tones.

"You aren't supposed to go off alone with guests," Inu Yasha bit out, still not looking at her.

"That woman led me to a bathroom!" Kagome rebutted, confused.

"For fifteen minutes? And your hair is a mess," Sango snapped incredulously.

It took a minute for the accusation and what it insinuated to set in. When it did, it combined with the adrenaline still pumping through her and the anxiety from the crowd.

"Mrs. Kinjo was asking me about school and stuff. I don't know why, okay? And I took my hair down and ran some water through it to cool off since the leather is suffocating me!" She shouted, unaware that her voice echoed shrilly around them.

"Mrs. Kinjo?" Inu Yasha demanded, interest perking. He rushed forward and grabbed Kagome's shoulders and shaking her slightly. "What did she look like?" She tore herself from his grip and lgared at him angrily.

"I don't know, normal japanese," She snapped, further unbalanced by his sudden change of topic.

"Did she have a scar here?" He demanded, gesturing to the side of his nose, tracing the outside of his nostril.

"I don't know!" Kagome shouted, turning angrily and throwing open the backdoor of the car.

"Did she ask about me?" He demanded, following her and standing outside of the car, hands on the roof and lowering his head to speak to her.

"No! Leave me alone!" She whimpered, tears starting to burn her eyes. Humiliation and hurt were beginning to overtake her indignation and she reached past Inu Yasha for the door handle, intent on closing it regardless of where he was, sure he'd move out of the way.

"She might have been my mom," He interrupted, stopping her. "Kinjo was her maiden name."

"She had the scar, inu Yasha," Sango said, moving closer to the car. "I saw it when I grabbed Kagome."

At the news Inu Yasha sat down, uncaring of the gravel beneath him as he stared forward.

"Mom saw us," He murmured. "Do you think she knows it was us?"

The question was directed at a still silent, expressionless Sesshoumaru.

"Doubtless, if she was speaking to Kagome."

"Kagome, I'm sorry-" Sango began, crouching outside of the car.

"You're sorry? How could you think I'd do something like that?" Kagome exploded, tears running freely down her face, smearing the makeup Koharu had applied. "I've never even had a boyfriend and you think I would, would-"

"We're sorry, we just-" Inu Yasha began, but was cut off.

"I just want to go home," Kagome sniffed angrily. "Just take me home." This time it was firmer, although the anger hadn't dissipated.

The group was quiet as they finished packing their things. Inu Yasha handed her her clothing and everyone turned away from the car as she changed. Koharu supplied her with some wipes and makeup remover. No one said anything, and the only sound were small sniffing noises from Kagome.

By the time she was finished, the only sign of her ordeal were her puffy lids and red nose. Nothing was said as everyone got in their cars and pulled out, away from the mansion.

"Kagome, I'm sorry," Inu Yasha tried again.

"Please don't talk to me," Kagome interrupted quietly from the back seat, bringing her knees to her chest, not caring how rude it was to put her feet on the seat.

After that, no one said anything, not even goodbye when she got out of the car and walked up the shrine steps. The car drove off and she stopped, looking at the steps looming, leading up into the darkness.

* * *

"We really screwed up," Inu Yasha sighed, leaning the seat back and staring at the ceiling. "Big time."

It was an understatement to say the least. That his stepmother had been watching them and chosen to speak to Kagome was news in and of itself, but it was taking a back burner to the memory of the girl sniffling in the backseat. He had made an assumption, which had filtered down to the others, and in turn hurt a woman who had, so far, been nothi8ng but honest with him.

Her naivete had more to do with it than he cared to admit. For most of his life he had watched the people of his father's world, his world, use others to their heart's content. That they presented respectable public faces meant little. Gossip ran rampant, most of it true, about inclinations and habits that had ceased to surprise him years ago.

The higher class had no problem taking advantage of the lower class. Though he had never partaken of such before, from the moment he had first been invited to 'mingle' with high society at a party, he had been subjected to attempts. Even after losing his arm women -and no few men- seemed more than willing to bed him, as if he were some exotic animal that could claw his own notch on their bedpost.

It would be damnably easy for an unscrupulous character to take advantage of her innocence, and he had assumed the worst when she'd been out of his sight for more than five minutes. After ten the whole troupe had known his opinion, and by the time she had arrived, her disheveled hair and bright eyes had done nothing to help her case.

"I will speak to her," He finally said. Inu Yasha nodded once, seeming to take comfort in his declaration.

"She left her stuff in the car," Inu Yasha observed, giving him his excuse to see her. "And there's no school tomorrow."

"I will give her time to calm down," He replied, not wanting to see her quite yet. It would be an all too solid reminder of his error in judgment. That he had reacted so emotionally bothered him, and he needed to distance himself from her before seeing her again.

Most of the car ride passed in silence, both brothers lost in their own worlds as they drove through the city, the buildings around them becoming progressively shabbier and bright lights threw everything into chaotic shadows.

"Do you think dad knows?" He finally asked.

Sesshoumaru was quiet for several minutes, wondering the same.

"If Izayoi knows, he knows."

The silence following was damning.

* * *

Notes: I love Gate, and Iron Eden is an amazing song. Also, I'll probably be posting a new chapter for all of my stories on the 22nd, as it's my birthday. Whoo! Today we're going to catch The Rum Diary and hit the national BBQ cup (I'm so horrible at being a jew lol). And then it's home for the family celebration. I might be hitting the gmddnight thing on Dokuga for those that are eighteen+ and are interested, since none of my explicit stuff is going on ffnet, dunno yet. Gotta see, because my birthday list to my family was different beers I haven't tried. And apparently drinking and keyboards aren't my best combo.

**CreARTive** (gahd I love your name lol) There will be developments in their relationship very soon. I do love having them burn together, and part of the frequency is for a reason, promise. And you're right, keeping that passion can be difficult, especially in the face of learning routines and doing it for money, both of which make you focus more on what other people want instead of what you want. (Which is why I don't spin for money lol) And you'll probably guess what Kagome's project is, so no telling. ;p

**Random Tigerz of Lily-**I don't think she's going to move out. I've been considering it, but I'm honestly not sure. I'll see where the story takes me.

**IraInvidiaInvictus-** Your review (and defense of my fic) was ultra awesome, and I want to say thank you. I don't write for reviews, although I do love them very much, and I appreciate the people that leave them. I save the emails I get when someone favorites or adds one of my stories to their alerts list (I look at that folder when I want to break my computer in half), and those are always of a much more substantial number than reviews. Either way, I know people are enjoying the work. That being said, your review seriously made me want to hug you. Danke.


	9. Strictly Business

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 9: Strictly Business**

I was going to do an ultra hardcore update of everything at once, but I don't want to spam the crap out of the front page, so I'll be staggering them throughout the day.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. Not the rights to Inu Yasha, or any right's to Sean Truby's music, I'm just plugging songs I like that inspire the chapters. Go listen! **Gogogogogogo!**

* * *

Stumbling down the stairs, Kagome moved like a zombie into the kitchen, shuffling to the fridge while her mother cooked breakfast. Slept hadn't come easily, her body finally giving in to exhaustion well after six am. Her alarm clock, ever faithful, had gone off at eight, pulling her from a restless, dreamless doze.

"Kagome, what are you doing here?" Nodoka asked, shock evident. Too tired and upset to care about her tone, she mumbled something under her breath as she dug through the fridge.

"What dear?" Nodoka asked, voice still colored with surprise.

"I don't want to talk about it!" Kagome snapped, grabbing the carton orange juice and celery from the fridge. Ignoring her mother completely, she grabbed the peanut butter from a cabinet and stalked out of the kitchen. Her feet stomping on the stairs echoed through the house followed by an echoing slam.

Sitting at her desk she uncapped the orange juice and gulped it down greedily before slamming it back on the desk and reaching for the celery. When her stomach lurched ominously, she stopped and booted up her computer. Looking for her bag, she growled in frustration, realizing she'd left it in the car.

After pulling up the internet and the document containing her theory formulas, she lost herself in her work. Switching from the internet to her document every few minutes, she compiled a new formula, filling one page after another with symbols and numbers, then highlighted it blue. The next was blue again. The one after that was green.

She had just highlighted one purple when she heard insistent tapping at her window. Swiveling her chair around, she frowned when Inu Yasha's face pressed to the glass greeted her. In his hands dangled her bookbag and the canvas bag she carried her fans in. Stomping over, the jerked the window open and grabbed both bags, tossing them inside and almost feeling bad when he wobbled precariously on the branch.

"Get out of the way so I can come in," He hissed as she was making to close the window.

"No," She ground out, closing the window and pulling the curtains across it. Ignoring the indignant noise coming from the other side of the glass, she opened her bag and took out her notebook. Sitting at the desk she forced herself to focus on the purple text. Within minutes she was lost in the formula, making notes with her pencil as she looked for flaws.

_Tap_

The sound didn't register at first, and she blinked once. When it didn't come again, she shrugged and went back to her notebook, looking from the paper to the text document as she scribbled furiously.

_Tap tap_

Looking up again, she craned her neck, wondering if she was hearing things. Nothing like the noise came again, and she was about to go back to her work when it happened.

_Tap_

_Tap Tap_

_Tap Tap Tap_

Able to pinpoint the source of the noise, she resolved to ignore it, keeping her back to the window as if the man outside would see and get the hint.

_Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap_

"I'm ignoring you," She whispered under her breath, not caring that he couldn't hear.

_Tap Tap Tap_

"I don't know morse code, but I hope it's an apology," She muttered, looking back to the document on her desktop.

_Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap_

"Argh! I'm going to push him out of the tree!" She snarled angrily, throwing her notebook on the bed and stomping over to her window. Jerking the curtains to the side, she glared at the smirking martial artist. In one hand he held a pile of pebbles. In another he tossed one up and down, taunting her. Inhaling deeply, she opened the window and tried not to scream.

"Go. Away."

"Not until you hear me out."

"Say what you came to say then," She offered, not moving from her place at the sill, keeping him from entering.

"Just let me in," He demanded.

"No."

"If you don't, I'll jump in, probably land on you, and that would bring your mom up here wanting to find out what's going on. She'd find me, probably still on top of you-" He started, smirk growing.

"So she can think I'm easy too?" She hissed. That struck a noticeable blow to him and he visibly drooped, shoulders sagging and the smirk turning into a frown. For a moment he looked so much like a kicked puppy that she couldn't help but feel badly for her tone.

"Come on," She grudgingly invited, moving back from the sill and allowing him to toe onto the sill and then step onto the carpeted floor. Closing the window, she tried not to wince when he sat on her bed -on her notebook more aptly- and posed as if meditating for a moment.

"Look," He started. "Last night was a mistake. But it's not our fault Sesshoumaru got a bug up his ass."

She was sure the world had gone silent, because she couldn't hear anything. Not the rustling of him on her bed, or the noises of her brother and his friends in the living room going over homework. For several minutes nothing penetrated, even though Inu Yasha was moving his lips. Sounds were just not coming out.

"You're telling me that all of you assumed I would go-go- do that," She spat. "And you're going to foist all the blame on your brother?" She hissed in a furious whisper, hands turning into fists at her sides. Taking another step closer to the suddenly silent man on her bed, she watched his eyes widen as he leaned back to put some space between them and only succeeded in hitting the wall.

"Look-"

"No, you look," She spat. "I'm a virgin. Vir-Gin. I don't sleep around, and certainly not with people I just met at a party. Don't even try to blame Sesshoumaru for what all of you did last night." At this she inhaled deeply, biting back a scream. Once she was sure she wouldn't speak in anything but a whisper, she exhaled and continued. "It hurt. What all of you did hurt me," She added for emphasis. "You didn't even ask me."

Inu Yasha stared at her incredulously for several tense, quiet moments before sighing loudly and looking up at the ceiling, as if it would give him an answer.

"Sesshoumaru is really strict about us not going anywhere with guests. He's big on rules, you know that. But he''s not the kind of guy that makes snap judgments either. When he said you'd disappeared, and he was acting so strangely-"

"You all just assumed I had gone off to have sex with someone?" She demanded, horrified that their opinion of her could be so low.

"We don't know you that well," Inu Yasha tried. "You going off with some stranger at a party is more plausible than Sesshoumaru acting like someone kicked him in the balls for no reason, okay? Try to see this from our perspective," He defended, voice rising to a whine. Kagome looked around her furtively and moved over to her door, pushing the lock in and sitting down, blue eyes still cold.

"You should have asked," She told him, crossing her arms.

"So you could what? Tell us you hadn't done it? Do you know how stupid that sounds?"

"At least I would have had a chance," She retorted hotly, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them tightly. Tears stung her eyes and threatened to fall again. "No one has ever even, I mean, I've never, I wouldn't-" She lost the battle with her tears, hot streaks running down her face. Burying her face in her knees, and tightened her grip on her knees and prayed the other man would just leave.

When a hand patted her shoulder she sniffed and looked up, dashing her tears away. Inu Yasha was standing next to her, looking awkward and uncomfortable.

"Look, we're really sorry we screwed up. I wouldn't have believed it if it hadn't been for Sesshoumaru acting so funny, okay?" His words were stilted and as awkward sounding as he looked. Kagome sniffed once, nodding. Pleased with her reaction, he sat back down on her bed and folded his arms, looking out of place in the sea of blues and pinks.

"Sesshoumaru doesn't get angry like that for no reason. He just assumed, and we followed his lead because he's normally not wrong. It was just a huge fuck up on our parts. We're all really sorry," He added, not looking at her.

"Why would he think I would do something like that?" She finally asked, reaching behind her for a kleenex.

"Because he's a moron, that's why," Inu Yasha snorted as he watched her wiping her face. "Sesshoumaru's never been big on people, but he can normally read 'em pretty well. He was just way off base this time. It's probably because he likes you."

"Why does everyone keep bringing that up?" Kagome growled, throwing her hands in the air and then running them through her loose hair. "It doesn't matter!"

"Kagome?" A muffled voice called through the door, making both of them freeze. "Is everything alright?"

Sneaking over to the door and cracking it open, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her mother halfway up the stairs instead of just outside of the door.

"Yeah mom! I was just going over some notes on the phone with Inu Yasha and he's being obstinate!" She called down the stairs, her voice cracking slightly. There was several seconds of silence.

"Okay dear, just try to keep it down! Souta is studying with his friends in the living room."

"Sure thing mom!" She called before closing her door gently and locking it again. Turning to Inu Yasha, she saw him smirking at her.

"What?" She hissed.

"You know, if you just kissed him he'd probably give in. Do the both of you worlds of good. Besides, he's not much of a talker apparently."

Stalking over to the bed, she grabbed a pillow and slung it with all of her might at the head of shock white hair. Slightly mollified by the resounding thump and his red face, she went and sat back in her chair, crossing her arms once more.

"Look, I'm tired of everyone making fun of me for this crush thing I have on Sesshoumaru-" She started, stopping when Inu Yasha began snorting and choking on his laughter. When he grabbed a pillow and covered his face, guffaws coming through despite the padding, she had uncharitable thoughts about holding it there until he stopped twitching. He finally lowered it, his face bright red and lip bruised from biting it.

"Crush thing? Wow, you sound like a-" He stopped, realizing what he was about to say. Kagome didn't think herself overly perceptive for knowing what it was going to be either.

"I'm so glad you find that amusing," She muttered dryly, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them again, feeling self conscious despite herself.

"No, it's just-well," He started, then sobered slightly. "Sesshoumaru used to be every girl's dream guy, except for being an emotional ice cube with the personality of a rock, which most seemed pretty happy to overlook. But after our father disowned us, he was just good looking with a shitty personality. And after he lost his arm-"

"It doesn't matter if he lost his arm," She defended hotly, cheeks flushing. "He's still a hundred times more capable than anyone I've ever met."

"Most people don't see things that way, and you know it. Since then, he's just become really closed off, I mean more than he used to be. He opens up with you." At Kagome's derisive snort he rolled his eyes and then directed a 'you're an idiot' look in her direction. "I've known him for twenty years. Trust me, he's more open with you."

"It doesn't matter," She finally sighed. "He thought I would just go off and sleep with someone."

"He was going to apologize after giving you some time to cool off," Inu Yasha offered hopefully. Blue eyes glaring in his direction stopped anything else he was going to say. They sat that way for several minutes before he shrugged once and walked for the window.

"You know, he's always been a loner, and alone even when he was around people."

"Why are you still trying to apologize for him?" Kagome bit out.

"Because I owe him, a lot."

"He can come and apologize to me himself," She retorted as the window opened and Inu Yasha climbed out onto the limb more gracefully than she ever had. She was left that way, alone and silent. Wind blew in the window, ruffling the curtain and chilling her. Stomping over to it, she closed the window and pulled the curtain shut, resolving to focus on her work.

* * *

Sesshoumaru watched her practicing with her fans. He was not the only one. Two others were sitting in front of her, jaws almost embarrassingly slack as she moved through their routine one sided, looking like she was fighting an opponent. Despite himself, he couldn't help but be impressed.

Inu Yasha's fumbling apology might have had something to do with it. The bastard had even stolen his keys and gone to pick her up for practice and the one new gig they'd booked with her as a part of their troupe. While her temper had cooled toward the others, her overall treatment of him had chilled considerably. If he didn't know better, he would say she was doing an impersonation of him, mocking him.

Practice had gone well, and they'd even gone out for food. But she had avoided sitting near him, did not speak to him, and took the bus home after. It had been the same for the performance. This time they had refused any invitation to go inside and 'mingle'. Since then, she always seemed to have someone near her, or was on the run for one thing or another. Walking forward into the sun, he watched her as avidly as the pair on the ground did.

Each movement was controlled and precise, flowing into one another seamlessly. Without a partner it was a beautiful dance. It wasn't until she stopped abruptly that he realized he'd been staring, and he inclined his head once.

"What do you want?" The female on the ground demanded, standing and dusting the back of her pants. Kouga stood as well, doing his best to look disinterested and failing miserably.

"I would speak to Kagome alone," He replied blandly.

"Too bad," The woman -he remembered Kagome calling her Kujaku- bit out, brow furrowing as she moved a step closer to him, trying to make herself look intimidating. Eying her carefully, he immediately put her in the same class as his brother, personality wise at least. Even he wouldn't insult his brother by saying she was anywhere near as strong or trained.

"Is that not up to her to decide?" He intoned, arching his eyebrow just so, to imply the woman was an idiot. Already she was fighting a futile battle, better not to add him to it as well. Not normally given to vindictive behavior, he was beginning to wonder if getting to Kagome wouldn't be worth it merely to piss Kujaku off.

"Kujaku, Kouga, I'll catch you tomorrow, okay?"

The entire time Kouga had said nothing, but he eyed Sesshoumaru knowingly, his lips tightened in a frown as he nodded once and walked away. Kujaku glared at him distrustfully and muttering something that might have been a farewell before grabbing her bag and jogging away to catch up with Kouga.

Kagome stuffed her fans in her canvas messenger bag and threw it over her shoulder before pulling on her backpack.

"Well?" She finally asked.

Oh, this was harder than he thought it was going to be. Some segue way into it would be wonderful.

"Your behavior is childish."

Not what he had meant to say. And by the sudden darkening of her features, it was nowhere near what she wanted him to say. Inu Yasha had lectured him every day on what she wanted and deserved to hear. Now if only he could make himself apologize for behavior he didn't entirely understand.

"Childish?" She ground out. "You have the nerve to call me childish?"

Cornered, he did what he did best, and continued on that vein, determined to hold his position and be right. Even though he knew he was wrong and should apologize immediately.

"You refuse to speak to me, you have avoided me all week unless forced to practice with me, and you're about to throw a tantrum."

For a moment silence reigned, and he would have congratulated himself on the purely shocked expression on her face. Maybe he had wormed his way into a win. Somehow.

However, in less than thirty seconds her face had reddened and she was stomping towards him, invading any and all rules of personal space and jabbing a finger into his chest as she unloaded on him.

"You insult my integrity, refuse to apologize for it, and then have the gall to accuse me of being childish for being mad at you?" She shouted, either oblivious or apathetic to the small crowd of students that was gathering around them, watching them with avid interest.

"You are having a tantrum," He reminded her, surprised by the finger's sudden strength as it poked him again.

"You are a narcissistic jerk! I waited for you to apologize. Everyone else did. But you haven't. And here I thought you were the civilized one. Apparently I was wrong!" She snarled, spinning on her heel smartly and suddenly noticing the crowd of students.

"Well?" She snapped impatiently. "Show's over!"

With that declaration the students began hurrying away, giving them both space.

"I apologize," He ground out as she began walking away. She stopped, turned back and glared at him.

"And?"

What more could there be? He'd just apologized, isn't that what she'd turned into a harpy over? Mentally trying to figure out what else she could want, he came up empty. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose before closing the distance between them and looking up at him with stern blue eyes.

"Promise me you will never make such an assumption again. I think I've proven that I deserve the chance to defend myself before being judged," She informed him, her face a mask of seriousness. He realized he didn't like it when she was so stern, so straight faced. It bothered him that this had come to pass at all, but this was a consequence he liked as little as her silence.

"You have my word," He promised, not bothering to mention that his word was his bond. Since his father had disowned him, he had lost almost everything except that, and it was the one thing he wouldn't give up.

"Good. Now you can buy me lunch," She told him, a small smile tilting up the corners of her lips.

It was strange and even surreal how quickly she brightened as they walked for his car. Wondering for the umpteenth time if she was chemically imbalanced or just that eager to be happy, he strolled beside her silently, listening to her idle chatter.

"I'm sorry about Kujaku by the way," She finally said as they were getting into the car.

"Did you tell her about what happened?"

"No." It was a sigh and she leaned her head back and looked at the roof of the car and it's drooping fabric. "They still don't know I'm working with you. Kujaku warned me against taking a job with you, that you'd suck all the joy out of spinning," She admitted.

Not wanting to examine that statement too closely, he chose to ignore the admission.

"Then there is no need to apologize. Her behavior is all her own."

They were quiet as he drove off campus and headed for the normal diner. Unable to tell if she was quiet because of him or because of her friend, he gave in and contemplated the accusation Kujaku had leveled at him.

Was he destroying her joy of fire? Whatever it was for her, she had proven that she deserved at least that small pleasure in her life. Even if it was just an escape for her, she needed it. More than anyone he knew how important an escape was. Martial arts were his. It was a place of order and a clear mind, where the world faded away. For her it was fire. Could he be killing it by forcing her to rein it in and control it?

"You don't," She informed him quietly, guessing where his mind was.

"Don't what?" He asked, not wanting to give away his worry.

"Suck the joy out of it. I like performing with you," She admitted quietly.

He told himself the her wording was merely a way to say she liked performing with the group as a whole, not him specifically. That it mattered at all bothered him, and he refused to believe that he was forming some sort of crush on the girl. Yes, there was a physical attraction there, but then who wouldn't find her attractive? Not to mention he hadn't had a woman in months, which must be playing into it.

"Why would you say such?" He finally asked, determined to think about anything else.

"You looked kind of worried and sad." She didn't look at him as she said this, instead opting to look out the window as he pulled into the diner parking lot. Bothered that she could read him so well after only two weeks, he refrained from answering, instead getting out quietly. She followed, pulling up close to his side and leaning against him.

Reminding himself that he was probably one of her first male friends, and that she probably had no idea how to treat male friends, he allowed it, moving away only to open the door for her. Thunder cracked and the air pressure dropped. He hoped for rain.

They were seated with little issue, gave their orders and both sat in an awkward silence, made so mostly by her as she worried her lower lip, eyes shifting to and fro nervously. Obviously she wanted to say something, but wasn't sure of herself or the statement.

"Speak," He ordered plainly, and she immediately relaxed, smiling sheepishly before digging through her book bag. Pulling out a familiar notebook, she opened it and it slapped onto the table, her nervous fingers dropping it between them.

"Promise not to laugh?" She asked.

He had already hit his limit for promises for the day, but he nodded anyway, curious what made her so anxious.

"I've been thinking, since Inu Yasha said something about me becoming a mad scientist. I'm really good with chemistry, and it occurred to me that I can work on a way to modify the fuel or create an additive," She stated simply, her smile conveying 'unsure but hopeful' as she stared at him, waiting for a reaction.

"What is the purpose of the additive?"

She answered by leaning in, as if to impart some great secret.

"To change the color of the flames." It was whispered and when she pulled back, her eyes were lit up, glowing merrily. "I've already figured out a true red, and I think I have the right formula for green. I haven't had a chance to test it in the science lab."

Letting her savor the moment, he nodded once and leaned back into the seat, considering her proposal. In retrospect, he should have deduced something of that nature when she asked him about the fuels he used. However, there were questions and holes in her idea. Burning oil and gas created enough problematic chemicals on their own, but they weren't immediately dangerous. Adding chemical compounds could pose an immediate hazard, a risk he wasn't willing to take.

"How safe is it?" He finally asked.

"I ran the formulas and tested it. The mix doesn't give off poisonous fumes as it burns. I'm still working on brightness, but it burned crimson. It also doesn't burn much hotter than the original fuel mix," She added, smiling brightly.

Obviously she was very pleased with herself, and it was fully deserved. Not only was it a singularly good idea, but he had a feeling anyone else that thought about it didn't have the mind to map out such a formula, or the means to test it.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you!" She beamed.

Grateful any earlier transgressions were past and she had finally relaxed around him again, he nodded once, allowing a small smile to quirk the corner of his lips up. Apparently that smile had been an invitation for her to go further in depth to the formula itself, and he listened intently, struck more by her passion for the topic than her ability to think out such a difficult formula on her own.

When she was passionate about something, she lost the diffidence that made her merely pretty and became beautiful. The transformation itself was not new to him, but her closeness was, as she'd abandoned her seat and sat herself next to him to better explain her work.

Food came and was absentmindedly eaten, and he resisted the urge to wipe a smear of ketchup from the corner of her mouth. When the food was finally gone, she had covered her difficulties with blue and purple, both formulas apparently being vexing enough to earn a special sort of loathing, as well as her eagerness to test out her formula for green.

"Do you have any more of the compound for red?" He asked as she ate the last fry on her plate.

"I do, I made quite a bit, turns out the base parts aren't that expensive. Probably enough for my fans and a couple of swords."

"Where have you stored it?"

Another sheepish smile and she scooted out of the booth and back into her seat, opening her messenger back and pulling out a small clear container half filled with powder.

"Want to do a burn tonight?" She asked, smiling hopefully.

Want to? Not particularly, although the idea of a true red flame interested him. But he didn't have the heart to deny her that pleasure after all of her hard work. Nodding once, he was surprised when she bounced out of her seat and into his, hugging him tightly. Thankfully the action was squeal free, but she did hum appreciatively.

"Thank you," She murmured.

It was the first time he could remember hoping for the rain to stop.

* * *

As it was, the didn't stop, keeping them indoors that evening. Inu Yasha had only smirked knowingly when she had walked in, throwing an 'I told ya' over his shoulder through a mouth full of ramen as he walked into the kitchen.

"Would you like to learn more forms?" Sesshoumaru rumbled as he sat his bag down gently on the table. Nodding once, Kagome sat her own things down and slipped off her socks. Before being asked, she did her stretches and then began going through the forms. He watched her with silent approval, never moving to correct her. Inu Yasha came out and watched as well, admiration shining in his eyes.

When she finally stopped, Sesshoumaru came forward, showing her the next form. First he did it in real time, his movements graceful and smooth, his balance perfect as his leg came up high, his foot easily level with his head. Then he repeated it twice, each time slowly so she could take in the nuances of the movements.

When he moved back to the wall, she went through the form slowly, bringing her foot up high, almost falling over when she realized it was almost level with her head and her balance was perfect. When she wavered, a small noise came from Sesshoumaru's direction and she continued with the movements, pivoting on the ball of her foot and bringing her other foot back down to the ground.

"Looks like somebody is getting more flexible," Inu Yasha observed, sniggering behind his hand. It turned into a yelp when a shoe hit him in the head, seemingly appearing from nowhere to connect with his head.

"Thank you," Kagome said with a small bow in Sesshoumaru's direction.

"Again," Was all he said. His pale eyes watched her intently, and she moved through the form seamlessly, feeling rather proud of herself.

"You are free tomorrow?" He asked, although it sounded more like a statement of fact.

"Yeah."

"We're going to the park. It's time to work on some simple acrobatics."

Pride and pleasure came screeching to a halt when his words registered.

"What?" She asked flatly, and Inu Yasha burst into peals of delighted laughter.

"You should see the look on your face! Oh, I wish I had a camera," He choked out, wiping tears from his eyes with one hand while the other clutched his stomach.

"Acrobatics?" She finally demanded, ignoring the younger brother completely in favor of glaring at the older. A nod was her only answer. "I can't, I'm not an acrobat! I-"

"Will do fine. It is not what Inu Yasha and I do," He interrupted. "Simple tricks. Most moves will be restricted by your fan, so we will ignore them."

"Nah," Inu Yasha broke in. "Just teach 'em all to her. She'll do fine, she's a quick learner."

"She is right here," Kagome ground out. "And is rethinking helping you with your chemistry homework."

There was an immediate difference, and Inu Yasha crossed his arms and huffed angrily, glaring at her sullenly. Something came from his lips, but it was so low that she couldn't make out the words. The mate to the previous shoe sailed through the air, thudding into the side of his head and bouncing onto the table.

"If you cannot think before you speak, do not speak," Sesshoumaru commanded, moving over to the metal chest of supplies at the far wall. Confused, Kagome watched as he pulled out a bottle of fuel.

"What are you doing?"

"The rain is no longer as heavy as it once was. We can soak the props in the trunk and wait in the car until they are ready."

"But won't the props just go out?" Inu Yasha asked. Kagome saw Sesshoumaru close his eyes, and she was sure if he had a free hand he would be pinching the bridge of his nose as she had earlier.

"It's difficult for water to put out fuel based fires. It would take a stronger rain than this," Kagome explained, excitement already building in her chest. Never once had she thought to do a burn in the rain, and the idea of seeing her formula at work only heightened her anticipation. Before the brothers realized it she was pulling on her shoes, already halfway out the door, messenger bag hanging off of her shoulder.

"Come on!" She urged, hopping as she shoved her foot into the shoe.

"I'll sit this one out," Inu Yasha muttered, still sulking. Sesshoumaru said nothing, and she felt badly for being happy it would be just the two of them. No one else knew about the compound yet, and it felt like a secret only they shared. That would change, sure. But no matter what else, they would be the first ones to burn with it.

For once the elevator worked, and she shuffled and moved impatiently on the ride down. Sesshoumaru said nothing, but his knowing smirk expressed his thoughts. Childishly she stuck her tongue out at him, crossing her arms over her chest. The doors dinged open and she shot out like a rocket towards his car, delighting in the sound of the rain hitting the concrete outside.

He walked slowly while she rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. Knowing he was taking longer than normal to get to the car on purpose, she stomped one foot against the concrete of the parking deck and growled in frustration when he only continued smirking.

"Come on!" She whined. "Don't you want to see it?"

He said nothing, but tossed everything in the trunk before getting into the car and unlocking her door. The entire way to the park she was bouncing in her seat, knees held tightly together as her feet bounced as well.

"Stop spasming," He finally commanded. That comment stopped her cold as she turned to direct the full heat of her glare at him.

"Spasming?"

"You look like an epileptic that has been exposed to flashing lights," He informed her as they pulled into the park.

"You have a really funny way of complimenting someone," She muttered darkly.

"It was not a compliment," He retorted as he parked, taking her canvas bag with him. Knowing he wouldn't know how much powder to add, she got out, immediately chilled by the rain hitting her bare arms. Goosebumps rose on her flesh and she shivered once as she came around to the back of the car. Immediately she was assailed with the scent of fuel.

"You need to mix it in really well. Is it alright if I pour some into the bottle?" She asked, repressing another shiver. He nodded once, offering her the open bottle, which she ignored in favor of digging through her messenger bag. Pulling out the container, she realized she had no idea how to get it into the fuel bottle.

There was a clicking sound and she struggled not to drop the compound when a knife flashed silver in the dim light.

"Use this as a sort of spoon," He explained. With trembling fingers she took the knife, easily the length of her hand, and sat it down. After opening the container and guesstimating half of the amount, she dropped it into the fuel and repeated the process, ultra aware that her hands were shaking as she tried to take care. Most of the powder was now in the bottle and she capped the container, already making a mental note to buy more supplies.

He capped the fuel bottle and shook it for a minute before pouring it in the basins. That being done, he closed the trunk gently and they hopped back in the car, careful not to jostle it too much. The sound of rain pelting the metal of the car and pinging against the windshield made it hard to think.

"Why do you carry a knife?"She finally asked.

"It has a myriad of uses," He intoned, staring straight ahead.

"I just didn't expect you to carry one," She finally admitted.

"I only carry it when I plan on burning."

"Oh."

The silence after that was tense and awkward, uncomfortable for the both of them. She wanted to fill it, to say something. Nothing seemed appropriate. Knives made her uncomfortable, always being something she pictured gang members carrying. Never in a million years would she have imagined Sesshoumaru carrying one, although it made sense. Knives were handy tools, and weren't always carried with ill intent. It was just hard to remember that sometimes.

After a small eternity he made a noise and got out. Gratefully she followed his example, noting that the rain seemed to be coming down harder than before. Hoping for a good burn despite the weather, she took her fans from the trunk and watched him do the same, closing it back up before slinging his sword. Suddenly he stopped and muttered something under his breath.

"Hold this," He commanded, thrusting the sword at her. She took it, surprised by the weight as he dug into his pocket for a lighter. It was a cheap plastic one, and for a moment he looked at a loss.

"Here," She offered, setting one of her fans down and holding the sword, tip towards him. He nodded once and lit the sword. After two false starts bright crimson fire raced down the length of the blade, hissing angrily as the rain hit it. He dropped the light on the hood and took the sword, allowing her to take her fans and light them, the fire just as bright and vivid as it had been on the blade.

They were alone in the parking lot, and without saying anything they decided it was as good a place as any to test her new compound.

Exhilarated by her success, by the rain and by the moment she was sharing with Sesshoumaru, she ignored conformity and moved like an animal, heedless of the rain plastering her hair to her face and soaking her clothing. Adrenaline pumped through her system, adding an edge to her joy. Feeling almost daring, she danced circles around Sesshoumaru, who in turn was working through kata. Moving like a will'o the wisp, she teased him, trying to break his concentration and force him to play.

Minutes into the exercise he gave in and began leaping at her, spinning and lunging, responding to her teases. The vivid red almost blinded them as they leapt and spun and whirled around one another, and for a moment she felt like they were in a different world, a different place. Peace settled over her like a thick, heavy mantle. Imagining them acting out the push and pull of the male and female energies, she allowed a throaty laugh to escape, a breathless, sensual sound that shocked even her.

The rain grew even heavier, killing the flames and leaving them staring at one another. His long white hair was plastered to his face and his black t-shirt clung to his skin. Despite the rain between them, she was positive she could see the lines of his chest and stomach defined clearly. Moving past him, she went around the car and sat the fans under the front to cool. He did the same, brows furrowing when he straightened and she toed off her shoes, then her socks and started walking onto the grass.

"Come on, when was the last time you walked barefoot on wet grass? It's the best thing in the world!" She laughed, turning to run further into the park, towards the open expanse where they practiced.

Hesitantly he slid his shoes off and then toed off his socks before shoving both pairs of shoes under the front of the car to keep them dry. Following her, he stopped short when she began twirling madly with her arms flung out, laughter getting caught by the rain.

Clothing clung to her skin, leaving little to the imagination. The rain felt colder as his skin heated in response to the image before him. She stopped, breathless, and wobbled over to him, still laughing.

"My father once said nirvana is feeling every drop of the rain as it hits your skin," She informed him, smiling brightly.

Even as he imagined it, he could feel the individual drops hitting and trailing down his body, weighting down his hair and cooling feverishly hot skin. The overall effect was more erotic than anything he'd ever felt, and her fingers, searingly hot, gripped his wrist and pulled him further into the small field.

"Do you feel it?" She asked.

For once his tongue was too thick in his mouth to answer properly, so he nodded. Her arms went to the sky and her head tilted back. Mesmerized by the sight of the water trailing down the expanse of her slender, pale neck he fought back the urge to begin licking it, instead allowing himself the pleasure of watching it trail down over he exposed collarbones and finally hitting the barrier of her shirt. Imagining drops of water trailing down the valley between her breasts nearly undid his resolve.

Her innocent enjoyment of the rain was contagious, although his enjoyment was far from innocent. Each drop was a cold point that only reminded him of how hot he felt instead of cooling him off. When her arms finally came down and she looked at him, eyes bright and cheeks flush he bit the inside of his cheek.

"You did feel it," She sighed happily, hand circling his wrist again as she led him back towards the car. Allowing her to lead him, he took the time to contain his thoughts and ignore the constant steady pulse of rain. Saying nothing, he put the props in the trunk with their shoes and poured the excess fuel back into the bottle before capping it again.

Once they were back in the car, he was fumbling with his keys, feeling like an awkward teenager and not liking it in the least when her hand covered his. He stopped and looked at her. For a moment there was complete silence inside the confines of the vehicle before she inhaled deeply and grabbed his head, moving forward and pushing her lips against his.

It was short and clumsy and obviously her first kiss. Her lips were warm and full, making him ache as they pulled away. It was over as quickly as it had begun, and her whole face with flushed, eyes clenched shut. Every muscle in her body was tensed, as if she was readying herself for flight.

Unbuckling his seat beat, he reached forward and gripped her chin firmly, bringing her closer to him. Meeting her halfway, he slanted his lips over hers, reminding himself to be gentle, to be careful. This kiss was longer, softer, although still clumsy. Physically coaching her, he kept his tongue in check, determined not to frighten her. When he pulled back, her eyes opened wide and she inhaled deeply, a hand going to her lips. Smiling shyly, she moved forward again, bracing her hands on the console as she gently touched her lips to his, mimicking what he had done.

He couldn't remember when she had moved over the console and straddled him, or when his hand had moved to her head, cupping the back gently, when hers had threaded through his wet hair. Somewhere along the way her tongue swept along his lower lip, deepening the kiss and scraping at his self control.

It wasn't until her back pressed against the horn, setting it off and startling them apart that he realized she was straddling him most intimately, that he was painfully hard and that they had somehow managed to fog up the windows. She scrambled off of his lap and into her seat gracelessly, blue eyed dark and lips swollen.

Wordlessly he started the car and pulled out of the park, not quite sure what had happened. Of course she had initiated it. But he hadn't done anything to stop it, although he should have. Someone like him had absolutely no business kissing someone like her. Especially not a first kiss. First kisses were the things girls dreamed about, planned in their heads for years, from childhood until the moment it happened, a moment as equally important to them as their wedding day. Most girls dreamed of it being in a beautiful garden, or a picnic or some other picturesque location with their true love. Not in a car, soaked to the skin with a man who had sworn off anything more serious than a one night stand.

"Are you mad?" She finally asked as he drove through the rain towards his apartment. He wanted to take her home, but her bookbag was still in the rented space and he wasn't going to send her home without it.

"No," He replied shortly, although he was. Just not at her.

"Did I do something wrong?"

'No, I did,' He muttered internally.

"No," He finally answered. "You did nothing wrong." As a point of fact, she did very many things right, her ability to mimic his actions still disturbingly vivid. They hit a red light and he stopped, watching other cars cross the intersection. Her hand moved to rest on his shoulder, then dropped onto the console.

"I'm sorry," She whimpered quietly.

The rest of the ride was silent as he tried to formulate a response that wouldn't hurt her feelings and leave him feeling like he'd received a swift kick to the groin. Still unable to figure something out by the time they'd arrived at the apartment, she followed, obviously subdued as they took the props and fuel out of the trunk and made for the elevator. It dinged open and he stepped in, noticing she shuffled in after. Both of them were still barefoot, and he noticed her toes painted the most vivid blue he'd ever seen.

She wouldn't look up at him, and he resisted feeling low for bringing her to such a state. When the bell dinged again and the door opened, he was about to exit when her hand shot forward and hit the button to close the door. Turning to stare at her, he was surprised by the sudden defiance in her eyes, reminding him of earlier in the afternoon when she'd been angry with him.

"I don't want things to be awkward with us. If you just want to be friends, say so, and we can be friends," She told him, her voice trembling slightly as she looked up at him. There were scant inches between them, and she had to crane her head back to look him in the eye. Her cheeks were still pink, and her lips were still swollen from his earlier attentions, parted slightly as small gasps of breath escaped. Despite her mask of bravery, he could see the fear in her eyes, a dark shade of sapphire.

He didn't want to be just friends with her. Not that he could imagine them as a happy couple, he wanted her, craved to keep tasting her.

Before either of them knew it, she was pinned between his body and the elevator, his lips pressing hungrily at her own. She exhaled sharply into his mouth and he sucked the air in, stealing her breath and running his tongue over hers, giving her no option but to respond. Ignoring his conscience, he continued on that way, demanding submission and finding satisfaction when she opened to him completely. She was sweet and warm, clumsily trying to kiss back, making up for her inexperience with a passion he'd tried to keep from imagining.

The props and fuel fell to the floor as her hands tangled in his hair, keeping him close. His arm was wrapped around her tiny frame, crushing her body to his. Heat sparked everywhere he felt her pressed to him. Mewling sounds echoed in her throat, mixing with satisfied hums and ending in vibrations against his lips. It was when the hums became a moan that he pulled back, feeling off kilter and dizzy.

Regaining some control over himself, he hit the button to open the doors, picked up the sword and fuel, and walked out, hearing her follow. Before they got to the door, he turned and looked down at her, about to tell her that couldn't happen again when her expression stopped him.

She looked thoroughly kissed. Half lidded eyes and bruised lips screamed her state to the world and only made her that much more attractive. Any trace of the innocent girl was lost to leave this stranger, obviously a woman, standing there, looking for all the world like she wanted to be carried to bed and thoroughly taken.

Which is where his thoughts came to a screeching halt and the cold finally began to penetrate his overheated skin. Kagome was not a woman in the truest sense of the word, and he would be lower than low if he even thought about helping her take that final step. She was not a hedonist, nor was she someone that belonged in his world, not really. In six months he would be free and she would be left behind. Better to end it now, as gently as he could.

"Kagome," He began, formulating his refusal of her affections. "That cannot happen again."

Her face fell and her expression began clearing.

"The troupe has a strict policy about relationships of any sort. I won't-" Here's where he faltered. It had sounded less harsh in his head, and the sudden hurt in her eyes was as good, or better than a physical blow in terms of effect. "You're too important," He finally told her. "And the others would never forgive me." The last was something he was hardly concerned with, but he knew it would get to her.

She looked like she was about to say something, then stopped and settled for nodding slowly. Smiling shyly she moved forward and hugged him, surprising him.

"I'm glad then, that we had that. Thank you."

With that she was walking inside the apartment, leaving him feeling out of sorts, as if he'd been the one to be rejected.

Minutes later when she was telling Inu Yasha about her new additive for the fuel and what he had missed by staying at home, he was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to see the shy glances Kagome cast his way now and again and Inu Yasha's knowing smirk.

* * *

How's that for romance? Anywho, tomorrow's my birthday, and birthday week commences -sans spanksgiving, sadly-. I will try to post, but apparently I'm to be kidnapped each day for a new activity. Wine, women, song. (YES!)

NOW GO LISTEN TO THE SONG!


	10. Fresh Air

**Oh good lord, I'm sorry about the mixup. Cleaning up my doc manager now! Here's the real chapter!**

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 10: Fresh Air**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inu Yasha and co. Simple as that. I also don't own anything by Matt Bukovski.

* * *

Nothing changed between them, although he was disturbed to realize that her seeming indifference to their kiss rankled. She still blushed and smiled shyly sometimes, but for the most part she was doing a better job of pretending it had never happened than he had initially thought she would. After the first few days, they settled into their normal routines, although he hadn't taken her to the gym as he'd said. No one said a word, but he felt like the whole troupe knew. It was an unsettling feeling to say the least.

It wasn't until they began working on a new routine, the one that had been suggested before, that the kiss was removed from the table entirely. The routine itself had sounded wonderful, if ambitious and more theatrical than he liked. Everyone had come up with ideas and those had been whittled down and pieced together to create one very solid, outstanding routine.

Practice however, was harder than ever. Everyone was involved, which meant neither he or Inu Yasha could direct the movements as they normally did. Within the first hour Sango had thrown her hands in the air and stomped away. Miroku had followed, promising to bring her back.

Kohaku's endurance had given out soon after, and he was the focal point of over half of the routine. Even Inu Yasha was complaining. Kagome's part was finished after the first segment, and she watched helplessly as everyone grew more and more frustrated. When Inu Yasha threw the suburito down and stalked to the cooler, her gave in. The routine was too difficult.

"I didn't realize it would be this hard," Kagome sighed as he sat a few feet from her.

He didn't acknowledge the statement. They'd all practiced various forms of kata, so memorizing moves wasn't a problem. It was the lack of direction. Neither he nor Inu Yasha could do it, and he highly doubted the one available person could.

"It wouldn't be so bad if Kagome could help everyone with their positions," Inu Yasha grumped as he plopped into the grass and chugging from the water bottle, emptying it immediately.

"Why can't I?" Kagome asked, looking slightly offended. "It's not like the moves aren't written down. And I'd just be reminding people of where to be, right? It's not rocket science."

No, it wasn't, it was worse. One person trying to coordinate that many people would be a nightmare.

"It's worth a shot. Can't be any worse than what we're doing now," Kohaku finally sighed, sitting up from where he'd sprawled in the grass. Inu Yasha walked back to the cooler and threw a water bottle at the teenager, who caught it and doused his head before finishing the bottle off in the same manner Inu Yasha had.

"I'll go get Sango and Miroku," Inu Yasha informed, leaving them. Kagome was already moving for the notebook that had the routine mapped out in detail. When she looked down at it, she paled considerably. Saying nothing, he moved into position, the suburito held poised.

Miroku and Sango came back, Inu Yasha gesturing wildly with his hands. Whatever he was saying stopped before they joined the group, and everyone moved to grab their props. Sango looked doubtful, and Miroku's expression was shuttered, bland, giving nothing away. Inu Yasha looked like he was being led to his own execution. Kohaku was the only one that looked remotely confident in what they were going to attempt.

"Okay, we're going to do this slowly," Kagome informed them. "Kohaku is led in, the chain wrapped around his wrist and presented to Inu Yasha."

The boy walked forward. Kagome's commands rang out in the air, precise and clear. They shuffled and their practice weapons came into contact slowly. It was hardly better than the chaos of before, although they were moving to every step perfectly. It was just slower than any of them had ever moved before, and it grated against their already exasperated tempers.

It took almost an hour to go through the routine. When they finished, everyone stepped back, looking only slightly less frustrated than before. However, Kagome took a page from his book, surprising him when she began calling out the directions again at the same pace.

The props clattered as they made contact. Inu Yasha glared at him, mouthing 'your fault' more than once with a glance in the small woman's direction as she kept calling out the steps, every once in awhile correcting someone's placement. By the time she was finished, even he was ready to gag her.

"Break," She rasped, moving for the cooler and beginning to toss bottles at everyone. Each one was caught and drained almost immediately. Inu Yasha looked ready to throw the water bottle at her when he stopped and shrugged.

"At least we're doing it," He finally sighed.

"I'm sorry," Kagome murmured. "I don't really know what I'm doing. But you guys are getting the steps, just like they've been written down. It's just hard to try and tell five people where to go at the same time."

The others softened slightly at her words. In the heat of their anger, they had all forgotten that unlike them, she hadn't trained for years in any sort of martial art, and that routines were still a completely new experience for her.

"It's alright. A couple more times and we'll get a better feel for it. Can you read faster?" Inu Yasha asked. She nodded, smiling tremulously. Everyone tossed their water bottles in the general direction of the cooler and moved back into position.

The commands came more quickly, and the pace seemed to suit everyone. Both he and Inu Yasha were already memorizing the moves, their minds clearing and bodies taking over. Miroku likewise was able to be right where he needed to be the whole time. Sango and Kohaku were both having trouble, although everyone was helping them, making the job easier.

It was the first time he had really worked with the group instead of telling them how to move. It was a strange feeling, almost kinship as he helped Kohaku again and again with nods and small gestures. Kagome's directions became more and more hoarse, and when they had finished, she could barely speak at all.

"Okay, I think Kags needs a break," Sango informed all of them haughtily.

"You're just tired," Inu Yasha sniped as they all broke position and moved back to where their things lay. Already Kagome was gathering up the empty water bottles in her arms and walking for the trashcan nearby. It took her two trips but she got them all, gracefully accepting the new empty ones from where everyone downed more greedily.

"Practice is going to suck when it get's hotter," Inu Yasha groaned. "You think the gym will let us practice inside?" He finally asked.

"Doubtful," Sesshoumaru rumbled as he tossed the practice sword as his half brother. "It was only because of Kouga that we were given such access before." It wasn't an accusation, although it sounded like one.

"Have you ever thought of talking to him?" Kagome asked as she shouldered her bag and accepted half of the bokken.

"No, he's royally pissed, and nothing's going to change that," Inu Yasha snapped, his mood altering considerably. His strides were long and uneven as he made for the car ahead of them. Sango shook her head and made a disapproving noise.

"He and Kouga were good friends, although they always acted like enemies. Thinking about it only makes him mad," She informed Kagome.

"But it was a mistake," Kagome started, stopping when Sango shot a disbelieving look in her direction. Nothing more was said on the subject, although she couldn't help but think about it. The whole thing was a mess, but she didn't understand why the two men couldn't talk it out. They had obviously been good friends, and Ayame's jealousy had more than a hand to play it in.

She couldn't help but remember the venomous stares she had received when she had first started hanging around the pack. Even though she'd never thought of Kouga as more than a friend, Ayame had treated her like she was an interloper, someone intent on stealing him away. Often the jealous female would flirt with other men, trying to make Kouga angry, only to fail. It wasn't difficult to imagine her intentionally using a drunk Inu Yasha to get at him and the whole thing going too far.

As always the males were relegated to one car for 'girl talk', and Sango seemed to grow more antsy and excited as they neared her vehicle. It wasn't until they got inside and pulled out of the park that Kagome's thoughts on Inu Yasha and Kouga were railroaded by Sango's impish grin and too loud confrontation.

"So Inu Yasha said you and Sesshoumaru kissed."

"What?" Kagome shrieked, mortified that anyone knew about that. She hadn't said anything to anyone about it. The whole situation was tinged with embarrassment, each time she remembered the incredible heat the shame of his rejection soon followed, even if she had understood his reasoning. But had he mentioned it to Inu Yasha? She couldn't imagine him giving up such a secret willingly.

"Inu Yasha guessed. He's been sitting on it until the other day. For awhile he wondered if you guys were just hiding it like Miroku and I, but decided you weren't. So spill." It was a command, softened only by the puckish smile on her face.

"We were testing out the new fuel, and afterward I wanted to play in the rain," Kagome sighed. "Inu Yasha told me that I should just do it, and I was an idiot and believed him."

"An idiot? Did he reject you?" Sango asked, surprise coloring her words as she glanced briefly at her friend.

"Not immediately. He kissed me back. It was-" She stopped here, unsure of how to describe it. Her first real kiss had been movie quality, or at least it had felt like it. Heat rushed to her cheeks as she remembered how feverish she had felt, something warm growing in her belly and uncoiling outward.

"Hot? Sexy? Sloppy?" Sango supplied, trying to get a feel for where Kagome was going.

"Amazing," She sighed, hands going to her over warm cheeks. "Afterward he pulled away and just started driving. I thought I'd royally messed up, he wouldn't talk. And then he kissed me in the elevator-"

"Twice? You guys kissed twice and you're still acting like buddies?" Sango demanded, incredulous.

"He told me it couldn't happen again, that if we did anything more, I couldn't be in the troupe. He doesn't want me to risk that."

Sango was quiet for several minutes before she muttered something about rules under her breath.

"I didn't tell him about you and Miroku," Kagome supplied. Sango nodded once.

"I didn't think you would. I just think the rule is stupid and he's being an idiot. If he planned on following the rule, he shouldn't have kissed you a second time. Stupid male," She muttered as she turned into the parking lot of the bathhouse. Kagome shrugged and got out, unprepared for Sango's sudden brusqueness towards all of the males getting out of their cars.

When she received several questioning looks, she shrugged helplessly, not wanting to tell them that one male's actions had incited her disfavor with all of them. Everyone paid and went their separate ways. After her first time she had brought her own supplies, and each time she stripped she became less and less self conscious. Both women chattered as they walked to the showers and bathed, Sango complaining about how the new routine taxed her muscles.

"It'll be really beautiful once you guys get it down though. I'm just sorry I can't do more to help," Kagome said, her voice carrying over the wall separating her stall from Sango's. Grateful to shampoo her itchy scalp, lathering her hair generously, she almost missed the woman's reply.

"It's not so bad. It's just going to take practice. Maybe we can add a fight scene between you and Kohaku at the end."

"I don't see rope dart and fans mixing very well," Kagome called back before shoving her head under the shower and rinsing her hair out. Sango's response was lost in the sound of water and shrugging it off, she conditioned her hair and began soaping her body down. It wasn't until she got out and joined Sango in the bath that the woman looked expectantly at her.

"What?" She asked dumbly.

"What do you think of Sesshoumaru winning, and instead of having you dress as a man, Kohaku play a woman? It's only a little change of makeup and the last few steps of the choreography. He can pretend to kill Kohaku, and you spring up as the spirit of the fallen woman, determined to get revenge on the daimyo?"

It was a good idea, although she wasn't entirely sure how the others would feel about it. Already they were frustrated with the steps. Changing things probably wasn't a good idea, especially not for her.

"I don't want to upset the others," Kagome began, only to have Sango shake her head vigorously. The smile on the other woman's face worried her. It was obvious Sango was planning something, and she had no idea what it was.

"Relax, I'll take care of it," Sango assured her as she sank deeper into the water, humming her contentment. Wary of this sudden upswing in her friend's mood, she nodded once and slipped into the waters. However, unlike her troupe mate, she was unable to relax.

* * *

It wasn't until Monday that Kagome spotted Kouga. His ponytail bobbed as he walked, obviously in no rush to get anywhere. Calling out his name, he turned and smiled at her, a toothy grin that made her nervous. Steeling herself for what she was about to do, she caught up with him, giving a half whispered greeting.

"Where have you been? We've missed you," Kouga said, elbowing her gently as they walked through the campus, no destination in mind.

"Schoolwork, among other things. Lots of training," She admitted, inwardly wincing when his eyes darkened and the easygoing smile pulled into a frown. "I need to talk to you about something," She finally said, and his frown only deepened.

"What about?" He asked cautiously.

"You have to promise to listen first." She had never liked setting conditions for a conversation, but the situation between Kouga and Inu Yasha bothered her, although she also admitted -if only quietly and just to herself- that she was grateful for any distraction from the memory of her kisses with Sesshoumaru.

"I'll listen,"He finally agreed. Not waiting any longer, she drug him over to one of the semi secluded benches beneath the tress and made him sit next to her.

"I want you to answer me honestly. Have you thought about talking to Inu Yasha?"

He immediately shot up and would have gotten away if she hadn't still been holding onto his arm. As it was, she almost tumbled from the bench and got drug behind him. Angry blue eyes stared down at her, his lips pulled back in a snarl.

"Did he put you up to this?" He ground out. "Because it's a really shitty thing-"

"No," Kagome interrupted, tugging him back down onto the bench. "He's pretty adamant that you'll never forgive him-"

"Damn straight. That son of a bitch deserves to be castrated," Kouga shouted, ignoring the curious stares of passing students and faculty members.

"Did you ever give him a chance to explain what happened?" She demanded gently, still not letting go of his hand. "It might be more important than you think."

"How could anything change that he slept with my fiance? Kagome, I know you're a sweet girl, but this isn't any of your business. Inu Yasha was a dick, and I don't-"

"He went to his father's building that day," She said, louder than she had anticipated. Desperation began eating at her conscience. She hadn't meant to reveal even that much, but Kouga was proving to be as stubborn as Inu Yasha. "He went to his father for help after Sesshoumaru's accident and got kicked out. He went to see you at the bar and got drunk. Ayame wanted to make you jealous. He didn't set out to hurt you. I know he mad a mistake," She continued, grateful for the stunned silence. "But he misses you. I won't say he's blameless, but he doesn't remember what happened. Just try talking to him. He is sorry for what he did."

It all came out in a rush, and she was surprised he even understood what she'd been saying. But he nodded dumbly and leaned back against the bench.

"I didn't know he'd gone to his dad. I mean, I know he kept trying to get in contact with the old bastard and was given the cold shoulder. Shit, I remember him back then. The troupe wasn't earning a whole lot and creditors were coming after them for Sesshoumaru's hospital bills, fucking merciless bunch. I offered to help them out, my folks are so stupidly rich they'll never spend all the money. He couldn't accept, pride or some stupid thing. I don't blame him for getting wasted though."

"They're doing a lot better now," Kagome sighed, finally letting go of his wrist and allowing herself to relax for the first time since hatching her plan.

"I've missed the shithead," Kouga finally admitted. "Life's been really boring without him to piss off."

"He probably feels the same," Kagome snorted, rolling her eyes. "I'm supposed to meet him at the diner to help with some chemistry homework in about half an hour. I can probably get Sesshoumaru to just drive me to their place so I can help him study there."

Kouga nodded, then eyed her curiously. "What is up with you and him anyway? I've seen you two walking together sometimes. Rumor has it you braid his hair every morning. For that matter, what the fuck happened to their hair? Everyone's been dying to figure it out, neither of them will say a word."

Going for the easy answer first, Kagome chuckled lightly. "Their makeup artist Koharu confused a hair conditioner with bleach. It was pretty funny, in retrospect. I've never heard Inu Yasha scream like that."

Kouga was choking on his laughter, bent double at the waist with both arms holding his stomach as he guffawed and sputtered, trying to breathe. Thumping him soundly on the back twice and finding there was no change, she rolled her eyes again and let him get it out. When he finally stopped his face was a hideous shade of red and tears filled his eyes.

"Koharu was never very bright," He sighed, wiping his eyes. "So what about you and Sesshoumaru? You two an item or something?"

"No!" She sputtered, blushing furiously and hating her traitorous body.

"But you do like him," Kouga stated flatly.

"It's not like that," She sighed, eyes dropping to her lap. "You can't tell Kujaku or the others, okay?" Another condition, and this one more important than the first. If he made up with Inu Yasha, he was bound to find out anyway.

"Okay. Go ahead and shoot."

"I'm in the troupe," She mumbled. Instead of blowing up, the man next to her inhaled deeply.

"I figured something like that would happen. You've gotten really good with your fans, and Kujaku may not recognize a routine when she sees it, but when you were showing off the other day-"

"I was not showing off," She sputtered indignantly.

"-I recognized that it had to be part of a mock battle. It's fun, isn't it?" He asked. Kagome nodded, smiling as she thought about the new friends she'd made and the work she was putting into the troupe itself. Despite their hiccups with the new routine, it was worth it. She had no doubts it would be amazing by the time they performed it for a crowd.

"Well, I'll keep my mouth shut to the pack. You do need to tell Kujaku soon though. She's been on edge ever since you started hanging out with them."

"Why? It's not like I can't be friends with everyone."

Kouga's pointed stare only served to further confuse her, and when he smiled sadly and ruffled her hair she pulled away, concerned.

"Is she mad at me?"

"Nah. Just possessive of her own. It seems you're just too much fun to not attract all sorts, even the Ice King."

"He's not that bad," Kagome defended. Kouga gave her another pointed stare before standing and stretching.

"Look, the shithead probably wouldn't appreciate knowing you told me, so I'm just going to say you persuaded me to hear his side of the story. But I'm going to go meet up with him, maybe go train somewhere and pound his ass into the ground."

With that he was off, not even saying goodbye, leaving Kagome to roll her eyes for a third time and mutter 'males' darkly under her breath. When he was out of site she pulled her phone from her pocket and and flipped it open. Hopefully Sesshoumaru was still on campus and wasn't in class. After pounding out a brief text message asking if he was free, she waited. Almost immediately her phone buzzed a response. He was in the library studying. She was halfway there when her phone rang, an unfamiliar number registering on the caller id. Flipping it open, she answered, ready to inform whomever it was calling that they had a wrong number.

"Hello, Kagome speaking."

"Kagome Higurashi?" A distinctly feminine voice asked. It sounded vaguely familiar, although she was having a problem placing it.

"Ye-es."

"Oh good. My name is Izayoi. You met me briefly at a party some time ago. I was the one to direct you to the bathroom."

Izayoi. Mrs. Kenjo. Inu Yasha's mother.

"How did you get this number?" She asked, immediately suspicious.

"I have my ways. I would like to speak to you, if possible. Today."

"Today?"

"Now, as a matter of fact. I'm currently two blocks from your campus in a little cafe. Please, it's very important."

"Why don't you talk to Inu Yasha instead?" Kagome bit out, surprised by the venom of her tone. There was a long drawn out sigh on the other end of the line.

"That is what I wish to speak to you about. Please."

The woman's voice was thick, as if she was going to cry. Despite her better judgment, Kagome agreed, asking which cafe and hanging up abruptly. Punching in a brief note to Sesshoumaru that she was meeting someone for a quick coffee and to let her know before he left campus, she began walking in the opposite direction of the library.

With each step she took more and more questions popped up, as well as resentment towards a woman that would abandon her son so completely. Inu Yasha obviously cared for her, if his previous reaction at the mention of her was anything to go by. Her fury crept into her legs, moving her more quickly than she realized. Others moved out of her path, hurrying past the girl with the cloudy expression, as if she'd blow at any second. Before she realized it, she was at the cafe, staring at the doors.

Determined to give the woman a piece of her mind, she yanked the door open, ignoring the angry clatter of the metal bell on glass and stomped in, looking for the infamous Izayoi. Immediately spotting her in a corner, she stalked over and plopped down in the seat, readying to unload a volley of insults when she saw the woman's bloodshot eyes.

"Thank you," Izayoi sighed, a wealth of gratitude in the words. "Thank you so much for agreeing to meet me. I imagine you have a few questions."

"Why don't you just call Inu Yasha?" Kagome demanded. "He misses you." Her accusation was louder than she realized, garnering attention from several of the other patrons, all looking away when Izayoi's eyes glanced at them almost nervously.

"My son is very stubborn, as is his half brother. Both get the trait from their father," Izayoi began. "They have been forbidden to contact me, and in turn I am not to contact them."

"Your husband is a jerk," Kagome bit out, glaring at the waitress that came to take her order, scaring the teenager off. Izayoi chuckled darkly.

"Don't I know it. Just because I love him does not mean I am blind to his faults. He refuses to even check up on them, although I have availed myself of a detective's services. It was how I came to be aware of Sesshoumaru's accident. I tried to tell my husband, but he will hear nothing of our sons."

Kagome listened to a mother worried about her sons, plural, because she obviously cared for Sesshoumaru as much as Inu Yasha. Several napkins were shredded in her hands as Izayoi explained her situation, how she had secretly paid the debt Sesshoumaru owed to the hospital and used her money to pay for the troupe's tuition.

"In most cases I have had an intermediary approach the other members, but I wanted to speak to you directly, especially after some of the things I have read in the investigator's reports."

"You've had me followed?" Kagome whispered furiously, suddenly feeling as if she'd been run over by a bus.

"Only after, well, the man I hired said you and Sesshoumaru seemed to have a relationship."

"Just because we hang out," Kagome started, stopping when Izayoi quirked a brow, reminding her too much of Sesshoumaru by half. "What makes him think we're in a relationship?" She asked flatly, afraid she already knew the answer.

"Let's just say I had the courtesy to throw those pictures away," Izayoi snorted, a glimmer of the woman from the party showing through. "I don't mind, in fact I think you two would be good together-"

"We're not," Kagome interrupted. "I'm part of the troupe. There's a no dating policy. His rule."

Another snort and Izayoi's dark eyes rolled to the ceiling. "He always was a stickler for rules, especially if they were his. Another trait he inherited from his father. But as I said, I have used different agents to offer scholarships to the other troupe members, through different foundations. I trust you can keep this a secret?"

"Why?" Kagome asked, suddenly suspicious.

"Each one of them is extraordinarily talented in their own way, outside of their ability to perform, and each one is driven for their goals. Even Koharu has received a scholarship. They have more than earned it. If they find out they came to my attention because they work with my sons, do you think they would continue to accept the funding?"

Experience told Kagome they wouldn't. Not only did they all seem to hold Izayoi and her husband in exceptionally low regard for their treatment of their sons, but each person's pride probably wouldn't allow them to accept what they saw as a handout.

"Fine, I won't tell them," She agreed.

"You are are the same. Exceptionally gifted and driven, you've always placed within the top five of your class and earned minor scholarships to help alleviate the cost of your tuition."

"I don't want a free ride," Kagome said. "I don't need pity."

"Don't reject me before I tell you what you'd be receiving. I know your mother has taken out a substantial loan for your tuition. I'm not offering this because I pity you. I'm offering it because you're a promising prospect. My husband's company regularly hands out scholarships, I'm not so different, I merely have a different way of scouting out possibilities."

"What's the catch?"

"There is none, no strings, no fine print. I will provide funding until you achieve your masters or leave school, whichever comes first."

Her masters. The amount of money Izayoi was offering up to her boggled the mind, and for a minute she wasn't sure she could breathe.

"And if I end up having to leave the troupe?" She asked, flinching even as she said it.

"Why would you have to leave the troupe?" Izayoi asked, lips turning down into a frown.

"My mother isn't aware of it. If she finds out-"

"Kagome, I will not cut off funding if you and my sons end contact. From everything I've seen you're a bright girl that's persevered despite your circumstances. Although I'm curious why you hide such a wonderful talent from your mother, I'm sure there's a good reason."

It was a gently worded demand for an explanation. For the first time an adult female, someone her mother's age, was talking to her without any hint of censure about her secret. Something about the woman made Kagome want to trust her.

"My mother wants me to do well in school. She thinks performing is too much of a distraction. To her, the troupe is just my study group. Every time we go out I lie, and it's just been-" At this her words began to wobble, and it was her turn to sniff delicately, trying to keep the tears in check. When Izayoi's hand covered her own, a knowing smile on her lips, the whole mess in her head spilled out. The specter of her mother that hung over her as she practiced and danced and performed, the lies that churned in her stomach and even Sesshoumaru's obvious rejection of her tumbled out in a garbled mess.

The whole time Izayoi listened, squeezing her hand at the right times and making reassuring noises. By the time she was finished, her nose was ready and stuffy and her eyes were bloodshot.

"Well, I certainly understand now," Izayoi said with a sad chuckle. "I have an idea that might help, if you're willing to let me add a stipulation to your scholarship, one that would give your mother little room to argue."

"Why?" Kagome asked, wiping her face with a napkin.

"I will admit to having you followed after seeing those pictures. It takes a very special woman to care about Sesshoumaru."

"Just because he lost an arm-" She started, but Izayoi shook her head, a real laugh escaping at last.

"Sesshoumaru is Sesshoumaru, arm or no. I'll admit that I can understand how hard it can be to care about such a strong personality. But, to be perfectly frank, I don't know you well, and yet I want to see you happy. I've watched my sons through pictures, and the troupe. Their life seems consumed by it and school. I want to see their new family happy and successful."

Kagome was quiet for a minute before nodding once, trusting the woman's words implicitly.

"What would the stipulation be?"

"That you have at least one physical activity to offset all the studying. Healthy mind, healthy body, that sort of thing. If you can provide proof-"

"I have copies of the photos Shippou took for the website promotions," Kagome offered. "And I have a video of Sesshoumaru and I."

"That would be perfect, as long as your mother didn't get angry that you'd been going behind her back," Izayoi pointed out shrewdly.

"If I'm getting a scholarship that requires I do something physical, she'd forgive me. Eventually," Kagome muttered.

"Well, I'm sure there's a way to word the terms to keep her plenty distracted and grateful you did have such a hobby."

"You can term it a martial art, Sesshoumaru is teaching me tessenjustsu."

"Perfect. Now one last question before I go home and pretend I was being a dutiful housewife."

"What's that?" Kagome asked, brow raised.

"How did their hair end up white?"

By the time Kagome was finished telling the story, both she and her new benefactress were laughing so hard they were crying, drawing curious stares from the patrons once more. When Izayoi left, Kagome was shocked to realize she felt a hundred times lighter than she had before. A small miracle had occurred and she was being given the chance to be open about the troupe and her activities.

Oh, her mother would be angry, but only for a little while, especially in the face of such generosity. The scholarship itself still seemed too good to be true. Pinching herself, she winced when it hurt and a smile bloomed on her face.

"I'm not dreaming," She whispered to herself. Surprised laughter bubbled up from deep inside of her, still echoing in the cafe as she grabbed her bag and shot out, determined to reach the library. The first person she wanted to share the news with was Sesshoumaru. Ignoring the angry shouts as she barreled down the sidewalk at top speed, her carefree laughter trailed behind her. Had she turned to look at those that had been angry, she would have seen most of them smiling, her laughter infectious.

Halfway to the library she almost slammed into Kouga and Inu Yasha, both of who looked slightly subdued, but walked side by side.

"Whoa, what's the rush?" Kouga asked, grabbing her shoulders and stopping her. Panting heavily, she couldn't stop smiling, her whole body shaking with excitement.

"Full scholarship!" She finally got out. "I'm getting a full scholarship!"

"Really?" Inu Yasha asked, a grin forming to match her own. She nodded rapidly.

"I need to go tell Sesshoumaru!" She said, pulling from Kouga and waving over her shoulder, a promise to study with Inu Yasha later carrying to the both of them. Once again she didn't notice the looks of those she left behind, one smirking knowingly and the other groaning audibly.

When she finally made it to the library she had a stitch in her side and the librarian hissed a 'shh!' in her direction as her feet pounded on the floor. Easily spotting the head of white hair over a study cubicle, she ran to it, gripping the cubicle wall and panting heavily. Pale hazel eyes peered up at her, glinting with amusement.

"I'm going to get a full scholarship.," She breathed, smiling widely down at him. "I have to have at least one extracurricular activity to keep it. I can be honest with mom now!" She panted, ignoring another shushing sound from behind her and throwing her arms around his neck, her breath puffing heavily in his ear.

Too shocked by her statement to stop her, to move in fact, he listened to her heavy panting in his ear. When she pulled back she was laughing breathlessly. "Everything is amazing," She announced, eyes bright and breathing finally beginning to slow. He nodded, immediately suspicious. The others had received scholarships, all from different foundations and with different representatives suddenly showing up, each one as vague as the last. Kagome's windfall was tailored, specific.

"Do you know who is giving you this scholarship?" He asked at great length. Her elation calmed and she shrugged hesitantly.

"I just had my interview, the woman said she was from a foundation" She offered.

Someone was watching her, obviously. This cinched it. Someone from his family was throwing money at the troupe hand over fist, and he wasn't entirely sure why. Unwilling to spoil her good mood with his suspicions, he nodded and forced a small smile. It wasn't as if she hadn't earned the scholarship. It was just that she had the good luck to come to that person's attention.

"Hey," A voice snapped, interrupting their moment. "Kouga's back with the troupe," Inu Yasha announced, nodding once to the man at his side.

He stared at the both of them with narrowed eyes, waiting for an explanation.

"Why should I endanger the stability of the troupe by allowing this?" He finally asked when nothing was said.

"Excuse me," A new voice broke in. "This is a library. If you're not willing to be quiet, please leave. You've all caused enough of a disturbance for one day," The short gray haired woman sniffed disdainfully before walking away, dismissal evident.

He packed his things neatly and shouldered his bag, leading them all outside. Once outdoors, he turned back to them.

"Well?" He demanded quietly.

"Look, we got it sorted out, okay?" Inu Yasha snapped. "He wants to come back."

"I'm supposed to believe you two will actually behave like adults?" Sesshoumaru replied archly.

Kouga snorted and rolled his eyes before answering. "Look, I'm over the Ayame thing. I want to come back and work with the troupe. Say yes, because you know I'm an asset."

The surly moron had a point. He had put forth most of the initial funding for the props themselves, and the gym he worked out at was a perfect place to train and practice in the summer, and with him on their team they could easily get the space for themselves at later hours.

"Agreed," He finally said.

"It's a day for miracles," Kagome laughed, hugging his waist. "My scholarship has some stipulations. One of them is that I have a physical activity. Mom won't say a word about me burning now!" She announced. Kouga and Inu Yasha's eyes and grins widened simultaneously, reminding him of a cartoon.

"This is amazing. You completely deserve it," Inu Yasha said.

"You know what this means, right?" Kouga announced. Kagome looked at him quizzically, her grin never fading. "Time for a celebration! We're going to the bar. Shithead, call the others and tell them to meet us at my bar."

"I have a paper-" Sesshoumaru began, but stopped when Kagome blue eyes met his, silently pleading.

"Please?" She whined, hands going to his and taking it in her own. Her eyes widened and he knew she was exaggerating her expression on purpose, she had to be. Nothing that comical could be anything but intentional. He hoped.

"Come on Sesshoumaru. Live a little," Inu Yasha coaxed. "Besides, if you don't, Kagome will cry."

"I highly doubt-"

"I will," She threatened, eyes already tearing. "I'll cry and be miserable when I should be celebrating."

Normally manipulations bothered him, and once spotted his defenses would slam into place and he'd stonewall anything and everything until the person gave up. However, Kagome's attempt was so over the top, so artless and obvious that he knew she was only trying to be funny, probably sure of his agreement already. And damn her, the silliness of her threat is what did him in.

"I will accompany you," He finally agreed.

"Whoo!" Kagome shouted, dropping his hand and slamming into him, her arms squeezing his chest. Both his brother and his annoying friend were smirking at him. Knowing smirks that would have bothered him, except Kagome was pressed to him, chattering at impossible speeds. Inu Yasha pulled his phone out and informed the others, only saying that they had two things to celebrate and demanding Sango bring Kohaku even if he couldn't drink. He had to repeat the name of the bar three times before rolling his eyes and snapping angrily, then ending the call.

"They'll meet us there. Kouga, I'll ride with you," Inu Yasha said as they walked towards the parking deck. He walked beside the trio silently as they began trading ideas at top speed, already coming up with new routines as they walked.

His earlier suspicions returned, an itch he couldn't scratch. Not knowing who was behind the money bothered him more than the troupe receiving money in the first place. His father was known to be a generous soul, his recent treatment of his sons notwithstanding. He could be behind it. It was the only thing that made any sense. His mother would never in a million years support someone besides her only child, and even she hadn't come forward to aid him.

He didn't notice he was frowning until Kagome elbowed him.

"None of that," She commanded sternly, then ruined the effect with a smile. He inclined his head silently, trying to ignore Inu Yasha and Kouga splitting away from them to get into a sleek blue sports car. Reminding himself that he only had to be patient, he slid into his own vehicle and unlocked Kagome's door.

"It really amazing how quickly things can just look up," She murmured quietly, blue eyes still shining as they left the campus. "If anyone had said this would happen a couple of months ago I probably would have said they were cruel. Now-" She sighed deeply, happily. The comment was left open ended, and he forced his doubts and suspicions to the back of his mind and allowed himself to be happy for her.

"I'm glad Inu Yasha and Kouga are talking again. Thanks for letting him come back."

"It was your doing," He intoned, following the sports car through traffic.

"Getting them to talk maybe, but they wouldn't have done it if they weren't ready. Both of them are just stubborn." Her laughter chimed through the car. "You were the one that gave the okay for him to come back."

He was not going to admit that the decision had less to do with Kouga himself and more to do with the gym he wanted to get into before the heat got too intense. Settling for silence he followed Kouga, inwardly muttering about the other man's crazy driving as they wove in and out of traffic. Considering the heap was a decade old and it's engine was probably on it's last legs he did rather well, at least he thought so. When they arrived and parked next to the sleek automobile and got out, making a point not to look at Kouga's expensive toy, all the while promising himself that he'd treat himself to a car the minute he had access to his funds again.

"Party!" Kouga shouted, fist pumping into the air. Sesshoumaru briefly longed for his paper until he saw Kagome's bright smile directed up at him, eyes glittering in the late afternoon sun.

* * *

A/N: I'd like to say thank you for the holy shnit amount of reviews I received! Between here and Dokuga my email was fairly flooded, and made birthday week all the better. I hope everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving, survived Black Friday (especially you poor souls working retail, I know it bites), and now deals well with Cyber Monday. Good luck and may you find everything you want, but most especially what you need.

I love Kouga. I love that he can range all over the place personality wise. I also love his and Inu Yasha's special relationship.

This chapter's song is by Matt Bukovski, Fresh Air (Manida remix). It's gorgeous. GO listen. (Shameless, shameless plugging).


	11. My Name Is Youth

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 11: My Name Is You(th)**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inu Yasha or any of it's characters, and I do not hold any rights Eco's song My Name is You(th). So please, for the love of the elder gods, don't sue me. Although, go listen to Eco's album, M(you)Sic. It is phenomenally beautiful. I can spin to the whole thing and even though I hurt by the end of it, I feel like I've died and gone to heaven. It's on youtube. GOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO!

* * *

The waitresses greeted Kouga and smiled cautiously at Inu Yasha, following Kouga's lead and greeting him when the off duty bartender gave a nod. They claimed a huge booth in the corner, Kagome wedged between Kouga and Sesshoumaru.

"Tabs on me tonight," Kouga announced, a wicked grin blooming on his face. "No one is going to be driving home, well, Kohaku is, because he's too young. Maybe we can cram everyone into Sango's car," He chortled. Inu Yasha snorted in disbelief.

"What? You and Kohaku in front, Sango in the back on Miroku's lap, Sesshoumaru in the middle, which would leave Kagome-" He stopped, the smirk widening when Sesshoumaru growled in the back of his throat. "Okay, Kagome in Sesshoumaru's lap and you in back."

"Why would I be stuck between everyone?" Inu Yasha snapped, looking indignant but failing when he began sniggering.

"You'd deserve it," Kouga retorted.

"I can always take a bus," Kagome began.

"No way. We're celebrating good and proper. You're going to call your mother right now and inform her you just got word you're receiving a full scholarship and you and Sango decided to celebrate, and that you won't be home tonight."

"I don't wan to lie to her, not now that I can finally be honest," Kagome snapped, still flushing from the man's earlier teasing.

"It's not. You are celebrating with Sango, and you won't be coming home tonight. See, perfect," Kouga reasoned, smiling wolfishly. Sesshoumaru watched Kagome's mouth open and then snap shut. Her hand dove into her pocket and she opened the phone. Everyone watched her intently.

"Hi mom, yeah I'm with the group." A pause. "The musics really loud, we're celebrating." Another pause. "I just found out I'm going to get a full scholarship, everyone wanted to celebrate instead of study." Pause. "I probably won't be home tonight, is that alright." Pause and a relieved smile. "Thanks mom. I will. I'll be home tomorrow."

She closed the phone and shot a snooty glare at Kouga, who whistled and clapped his hands together.

"Excellent! Now for the first round!"

Halfway through their drinks, all of which Kouga had ordered for them, the others showed up, pausing when they saw the two former enemies sitting together as if their fight had never happened.

"So," Sango began, sliding into the booth.

"I'm back!" Kouga sing songed. "But that's not the big thing we're here to celebrate! Kagome," He said, throwing everyone's attention to her.

"I'm getting a full scholarship, but they want me to have a physical activity of some sort. I can be honest with my mom," Kagome admitted in a small voice.

He watched them all congratulating her on her good luck as Kouga signaled for the waitress. The entire table was a mess of conversations and ideas. Once again he was drawn into it by Kagome, and he was surprised when the others began including him as well. The friendly atmosphere of the table encased them in a bubble, their own world as stories of the newly mended friendship's past sprang up, each anecdote more amusing than the last.

When another round was ordered, he hadn't intended to drink, but the glass was empty before he knew it. Voices grew louder as Inu Yasha and Kouga tried to outdo one another's stories. When Kouga challenged his half-brother to a drinking contest, he knew the night would be ending on a strange note.

"Pick the poison," Inu Yasha scoffed. Kouga signaled the waitress and ordered a bottle of whiskey and another round. Kagome's blue eyes narrowed worriedly.

"Okay guys, since this is officially my celebration," She announced. He noticed she slurred her words slightly, and her cheeks were an alluring shade of pink. "I make the rules. Since I don't want you two getting sick, we'll make it three shots."

"How is that even a contest?" Inu Yasha sputtered.

"Whoever drinks them the fastest," She retorted hotly. "I don't want anyone getting sick."

Both men grumbled but agreed, and she nodded once. Kouga shouted for six shot glasses to come with the bottle of whiskey, his words still perfectly clear. The waitress obeyed, bringing the next round first and then coming back with the shot glasses and bottle of whiskey. She waited patiently as Kouga poured the shots and gave her the bottle, smirking at her coworker and his friend, obviously amused.

"On my count," Kagome started. "Get set." A dramatic pause. "GO!" She shouted.

Glass slammed on the wood tabletop so hard it was a wonder it didn't break as the two raced, downing the shots as rapidly as they could. They tied, both wiping their mouths and smirking before realizing neither had officially won.

"A tie!" Sango announced, high fiving Kagome, both too tipsy to care that they were reaching over him. Both girls giggled as the two males began arguing who had finished first, both blustering but neither becoming truly angry.

Once again he was struck by the difference the woman by his side had made. Gatherings like this had certainly never occurred before, even when Kouga had been with the group. There was a carefree feeling to them, as if all of them were a normal group of friends, normal college students. No one had a past and the future was a thing of tomorrow. He felt caught up in the moment. Even if he didn't speak as much as the others, he felt like a genuine part of it. It hadn't mattered before, and he wasn't sure he wanted it to matter. But it was enough to give in to the urge to pretend for awhile.

A fourth round came, and Inu Yasha managed to draw him into a contest.

"Come on, all the guys with balls, except Kohaku, who has them but isn't old enough to throw them around yet," Inu Yasha announced, earning a chip thrown t him by Sango. "He can't drink. He's lucky, considering I challenge all the guys to a race. Whoever wins gets a kiss from their chosen lady."

"Not appropriate," Kagome laughed, too tipsy to be indignant.

"I don't mind," Sango announced cheekily. "Or are you scared?" She challenged.

In what he felt was a juvenile, high school moment, the table erupted into a chorus of 'Oooo's'.

"You know what, fine. I agree," She retorted hotly.

"So men, who wants to give it a go?"

He did not answer.

"Come on Sesshoumaru, scared?"

Another chorus of 'Oooo's'.

"I accept," He bit out.

Kouga called out to the waitress, who came over with a wide smile. The antics of the table had been the subject of amusement for most of the staff, everyone apparently glad to see their coworker reuniting with his friend.

"I would like you to inform Hiten that we require the four horsemen. Flaming."

The widening of the waitresses eyes did not bode well for him.

"Kohaku's the judge," Inu Yasha announced, his speech slurred. Kohaku nodded, smiling widely. Sango leaned across Miroku to whisper something in her brother's ear, and he was beginning to get nervous when the bartender came over with a platter filled with shot glasses and five liquor bottles.

"Out of my way!" He commanded imperiously. "I do not get get to do this often enough!" He smirked as he began fluidly setting up the glasses, pouring liquors so quickly none of them could tell what he was doing. He began setting up a second set when Kouga stopped him.

"It's just for us four," He informed the bartender. "A contest for a kiss."

"As long as it's with one of the ladies it sounds like a contest worth winning," The bartender laughed, pulling out a lighter.

"First one with his glass down wins," Kouga announced as the lighter touched the top glass and Hiten expertly tumbled it down. Each shot lit and they reached, blowing out the flames and tossing the liquors back. He slammed the shot glass down.

"Sesshoumaru and Miroku tie," Kohaku announced, earning guffawing laughter from the bartender as he collected the glasses and walked away, still laughing so hard the tray threatened to tip over.

"I know who I'm choosing," Miroku announced, waggling his eyebrows suggestively at Sango.

He felt like this had somehow been planned.

"Well Kagome, you gonna live up to your promise?" Inu Yasha hedged. Kagome's face was buried in her hands and she peeked from behind her fingers at his half brother before moving them away.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Inu Yasha began chanting. Kouga joined, followed by Kohaku. Soon a waitress decided to join, and after a minute it felt like the entire bar was egging them on.

He'd been an idiot. Looking to his side, Kagome was blushing, blue eyes darting left and right, afraid to meet his own.

"It's just a kiss, right?" She finally asked, meeting his gaze. He nodded and leaned down, capturing her lips with his own. There was a burst of cheers and applauds as he plundered her mouth, tasting the sweetness of her drink mixing with the bitterness of his own.

He lost himself in the feel of her lips, dizzy and drowning. Feeling too hot all over, he dove deeper, hoping for cold relief as they continued. Dimly he recognized her hands gripping the front of his shirt and the feel of her hair between his fingers. He nipped her lower lip and she responded playfully, daringly.

When he pulled back, her glazed eyes and wide lips tempted him. Catcalls and cheers began filtering through the roar of blood in his ears.

"Damn, wish I'd won," Kouga mock pouted, earning a punch in the arm from Inu Yasha. Kagome made a choked noise and he followed her gaze to see Sango and Miroku still locked at the lips, Sango halfway in Miroku's lap.

"Don't they need air?" She asked.

"Breathing through the nose helps," Inu Yasha snorted. "Maybe you can get someone to help you with that."

"It was just a kiss," Kagome but out defensively.

"Okay, then how about you kiss me that way," He challenged.

"_No!_"

"See!"

Sango and Miroku broke apart and glared at their bickering friends before Sango realized her position.

"Oh god," She gasped, pushing away from him and sliding back onto the seat. "Sorry," She muttered. "Alcohol."

He rolled his eyes. They weren't nearly as discreet as they thought they were. However he was grateful for the sudden shift of focus as the others smirked at the couple.

"You know, I have an idea," Kouga announced.

"Wonderful," Inu Yasha drawled.

"Shut up shithead. I think we should get something to commemorate the group and tonight. After all, drinking parties are about bonding. And I think we should mark this special occasion."

"How could it get any more special?" Inu Yasha snickered. "Sesshoumaru pulled the stick out of his ass."

"There is a tattoo parlor just down the street. I think we should all get one."

There was a great, resounding silence at the table. Obviously the bartender was drunk, he had to be to make such a suggestion. Tattoos were not for normal people, and certainly not for people like him.

"I would like that," Kagome stated, breaking the silence, surprising everybody. "Even if you guys don't get one, I want a physical reminder of tonight, and of you guys, all of this."

Sango nodded. "Me too."

"I'm game," Miroku stated.

"Me too."

"Well hell, why not?" Inu Yasha asked. "Who knows where we'll be in twenty years. This way we can always look back and remember that we were young and stupid once."

All eyes swung to him. For a moment he considered telling them all they were fools. That a tattoo was a stupid, childish way of remembering anything. That he wouldn't want to remember any of his hellish experience as a poor student.

"I agree."

Where had that come from? Those were not the words he had intended to say. But Kagome's cheer broke out, spurring a group hoorah that, while he didn't take part in it, he couldn't help but be affected by. Solidarity. Friendship. It was a night to be normal, even if that included being foolish.

"So what should we get?" Sango asked.

"Pictures of our props?" Kouga suggested.

"Nah, too boring," Inu Yasha rebutted. Kohaku surprised them all by raising his hand, calling for silence.

"I have something on my computer that might work," He informed them, his voice stronger, more confident than before. Sango tossed him her keys, shrugging when everyone looked to her after he left.

"Waitress, another round!" Kouga called out. "It's a night to be young and dumb and-"

"Do not finish that statement," Sango laughed, throwing another chip at Kouga's head. Kohaku came back and sat his laptop down, making sure the drinks were away from it before clicking a program.

"I've been studying hanzi, the base of our language," He informed them quietly. Everyone listened, only nodding their thanks when their drinks came. "It's similar, but different enough to make it, well," He paused, looking for the right words.

"Ours?" Kagome asked, and he nodded, smiling his agreement.

"I have a program that I've been using to study it with. We can choose a base character, something that will mark us as a group, and add another character, personalizing it."

The group was silent.

"Kohaku that is the-" Inu Yasha started, then broke into a smile. "Best idea! What should our base word be?" He asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Miroku asked.

"If it's so obvious why don't you tell us?" Inu Yasha snapped mulishly.

"Fire. All of us use fire."

He did not want anything reading 'fire' tattooed on him. But the whole group seemed to agree, his opinion not being asked. It wasn't until Kagome put a hand on his shoulder that he realized he'd been staring angrily at his drink.

"If you don't want to, it's okay," She murmured. "I understand."

He doubted it.

The laptop was being passed around, the program simple enough for even a drunk Inu Yasha to understand. The others chattered, oblivious to the sober silence, excited by the prospect of doing something so forbidden and binding.

When the computer came to Kagome, she cast an apologetic glance at him before looking to the screen. On sight the program was easy enough to figure out. There was a spot for typing in a word. The character would appear with it's translation, and a column on the side brought up a list of words involving that character.

"I don't know what mine should be," She admitted quietly.

He reached over, hitting a few keys and then the enter button.

"Star," She murmured wistfully. When she looked up at him it was the equivalent of getting punched in the stomach.

"In the first column, it has it combined with the character for fire," He pointed out, growing uncomfortable under such intense regard.

"It translates to shooting star," She chirped, anxiety melting away completely to be replaced with pure delight. "It's perfect. Thank you," She murmured, leaning against him. The smile didn't fade, and it was that smile and the depth of her gratitude that spurred his next action. He slid the computer in front of himself and stared at the screen.

The characters were slightly fuzzy which only proved that he had imbibed more than he should have. Any ideas he might have had fled.

"Can I try?" She asked timidly. He leaned back, away from the screen. Casting a brief glance around him he saw the others caught up in their own conversation, giving at least the illusion of semi privacy. Her fingers tapped on the keys thoughtfully. She clicked on related words, and then stopped, pulling back.

"I think this one fits," She said before sliding the computer back to him.

Duan. Wrought, forged, to discipline.

He nodded, unable to form words. She saved the image under his name and then closed the laptop before handing it to Sango, who passed it to Kohaku. Everyone finished their drinks as he combined the characters and saved the new files for the tattoo artists to look at. Kouga handed a credit card to the passing waitress and she came back, got his signature and left again.

"You guys ready for this?" Kouga shouted, throwing his fists in the air.

No. Yes. Probably. Not. Maybe.

"Wait, where are we getting these?" Sango asked as they began sliding out of the booth two at a time, one from each side. He was pleased to see that the others wobbled slightly while he felt perfectly fine. The only person more sober than him was Kohaku.

"On our arms," Inu Yasha crowed as they stampeded out, following Kouga's lead.

"Our chests," Miroku suggested, earning a swat from Sango.

"No way," She laughed. "Not baring my chest for anyone."

"Not even me?" He pouted.

"Only if you're good," She laughed as they poured into the cool night air.

They trailed behind.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked.

"Are you?" He replied, allowing her to lean against him for balance.

"Even if we grow apart someday, I know I'll always remember this. When I'm old and wrinkled, I'll show it to my grandchildren and tell them about how I was clumsy enough to bump into first one man, and then another, both of whom turned out to be brothers."

"Is that all?" He murmured, relaxing into her gentle cadence as they strolled down the sidewalk.

"No. I'll tell them how one brother made an offer I couldn't help but accept, and how it changed my life, how he freed me."

"And then tell them one night we drank and listened to some idiot's _wonderful_ idea and got a tattoo," Me remarked dryly as the others poured into the tattoo parlor.

"I will," She promised as they stepped inside.

Kouga explained what they wanted, Kohaku opened his laptop and the man sitting at the desk yelled for the artists. Three men entered the seating area and listened, smiling approvingly when they heard what the group wanted.

"Do we have anything scheduled?" One asked. The clerk shook his head, muttering something about the hour.

"So where are you guys getting these?" The other asked.

"Back of the neck, where it meets the spine," Kouga answered.

Kagome opened her mouth to protest, but stopped. She would just have to be careful around her mother. Sketches were drawn up and fed through a scanner, then sized. It moved so quickly she hardly had time to think about it as the others were being led away.

Sango was taken, and she chose Miroku to go with her. The artist decided to cut down on time and took the printout of Miroku's chosen design as well. Kagome wanted to ask Sango if she could go with her instead, but stopped, seeing the love in Sango's gaze as the couple walked back into a room, the door shutting behind them quietly.

"Miss, I can do yours," The tattoo artist with bright green hair offered politely. She glanced around, suddenly unsure.

"I'll go with her," Sesshoumaru rumbled, and she couldn't keep from hugging him gratefully. The artist nodded and accepted the two sketches, presenting them for a quick check to make sure they were the correct ones. Both nodded and followed him to the back. The room was small, almost claustrophobic, with only one chair.

"You'll need to remove your shirt miss," He said. His back was turned to counter built into the wall when he said this, so he missed the panicked look that flashed in her eyes. "Straddle the chair and lean over the back."

She cast a desperate look at Sesshoumaru, who only turned away, giving her the illusion of privacy. Growing hot she hurriedly pulled her shirt off and straddled the chair as she'd been instructed.

"It's safe," She whispered, grateful her hair was hiding her face. When he crouched down, entering her field of vision, she saw concerned gold eyes. His hand came up, and offering, and she accepted it, holding it tightly.

"So why fire star?" The artist asked. Her tongue felt thick in her mouth, suddenly too clumsy to form words.

"She is the star born on the earth's surface," Sesshoumaru rumbled.

All of her reservations faded away, and she squeezed his hand, feeling strangely weepy. The needle touched her skin and it took all of her will not to flinch. Her grip tightened, and Sesshoumaru bore it all. The needle was a dull pricking into her skin at first, then the area, instead of numbing, became super sensitive. For a moment Kagome wondered if the man was cutting her with a dull scalpel.

A whimper escaped, and Sesshoumaru's hand fell away. Desperately her hand grasped for it, stopping when he parted her hair.

"You have played with fire and endured my lessons. A needle is nothing," He intoned, hand brushing through her hair. His pale eyes were hypnotic, drawing her in. The pricking sensation faded until it was as dim as the noise the machine made. Flecks of gold grew bigger, and she fell into them, warmth spreading through her, her whole body feeling heavy and hot, his fingers searing her scalp.

"All done," The man behind her announced. "See, wasn't so bad, was it?"

Bad? She hardly remembered getting it!

"How does it look?" She asked shyly. Sesshoumaru stood and took the artist's former position. Super aware of his gaze on her back, bare of anything but the bra strap, she tried not to shiver.

"It suits you," He replied. A bandage was placed over the new tattoo and taped down securely. Her shirt came into her view and she shrugged into it, still feeling slightly dazed. Once she was out of her seat, Sesshoumaru was sliding into it, mimicking her pose.

"You have the most gorgeous hair," The man sighed, cooing as he moved to push the thick mass out of the way. Kagome intercepted him, knowing Sesshoumaru would not appreciate the stranger playing with his hair. The artist pouted and then shrugged. Kagome wondered if he liked men, then shrugged as carelessly as the artist had. What business was it of hers?

"I do not need support," Sesshoumaru told her. It was a command to move back.

"Maybe I just want to cuddle," She teased, her hands running through the loose white mane. Despite it's chemical torture, it was still soft to the touch, and she savored the feel of it between her fingers. When he said nothing further, she continued massaging his scalp.

"So what does this one mean?" The man asked as he moved the machine to Sesshoumaru's neck.

"Fire wrought," She said when her friend said nothing.

"Fire wrought?"

Sesshoumaru still said nothing, so she answered for him. "The fire tested him, and he came out stronger. Tempered."

Silence reigned after that, the buzzing of the tattoo machine growing louder and louder. In awe, she watched the lines appearing on his skin, stark against the pale flesh. Occasionally their tattooist would spray the area and wipe it, then begin adding more ink, filling in the lines. Somewhere along the way she had leaned forward, and his head rested against her stomach. Shock trilled through her when he turned his face up to her belly and nuzzled it.

Even though everyone else was getting a similar tattoo, it felt like they were sharing another experience that was just theirs. Briefly she thought about telling her grandchildren that, and shook her head, chuckling lightly.

"Almost finished tough guy," The man said, spraying his neck again and twisting to get more ink on his needle. Kagome's eyes were drawn to the design, a mess of black smears covering it. Only a small corner remained, and within seconds the whole of it was finished and the area was wiped clean. The characters were amazingly vivid and crisp, standing out from his skin like dark beacons.

"It's beautiful," She murmured.

"Alright, all done. Come back for touch ups in a month," He commanded as he taped a bandage down and then left the room, stretching his arms over his head and announcing the completion of his task.

Sesshoumaru nodded, not moving otherwise. A stampede sounded, and two curios faces filled the door. Startled, she jerked back, hands untangling from his hair.

"Aww, did you need her to hold your hand?" Inu Yasha mocked. Sesshoumaru stood fluidly, and Kagome tried to look anywhere but his chest. And his stomach. And that line of hair that kept drawing her eyes no matter how valiantly she resisted.

"Nah, she was taking advantage of him while he couldn't move," Kouga answered impishly.

"You guys are so immature," Kagome snapped waspishly while Sesshoumaru donned his shirt, careful to avoid the bandage.

"We just got matching tattoos. I don't think you get much more immature," Kouga laughed as he and Inu Yasha walked away. Rolling her eyes heavenward, she wondered when boys grew up. Sesshoumaru walked out, and she moved in step behind him until they hit the waiting area before getting closer, leaning on him again.

"Touchups in a month, be ready for us," Kouga said as they exited. Cheerful goodbyes followed them out the door as they walked back up the street.

"What now? It's only nine," Inu Yasha asked.

"I'm not really drunk anymore, are you?" Kouga asked.

"Food!" Kagome and Sango shouted in unison, surprising each other. Laughter rang out and they hit the bar again, ordering food and while Kouga and Inu Yasha bragged about their ink.

Of course more drinks were ordered, and the last thing she remembered was kissing Sesshoumaru and cuddling into his side, warm and content in the good natured chaos taking place around her.

* * *

The next morning she awoke stiff and with a headache that she knew, instinctively, should have killed her in her sleep. Groaning, she shifted once, surprised when an arm tightened around her. Three things hit her at once.

One, she was hungover. Not just a 'haha, I had one too many and my head's buzzing' sort of hangover, but the kind that made her feel like she'd eaten cotton and a carpenter had taken up residence in her skull. Two, she was cuddled up next to Sesshoumaru, who looked paler than normal and was fighting waking up, eyes clenched shut and brow furrowed. Three, she realized she had no idea where she was.

"Sesshoumaru," She hissed, trying not to flinch at the volume of her own voice as it echoed, nay, ricocheted around inside of her head mercilessly. "Wake up," She commanded, looking at the walls around her. They were on a futon. In a bedroom. The walls were devoid of anything that would give any hint as to where they were.

"What?" He groaned, eyes blinking rapidly, squinting against the light.

"Where are we?" She whispered, trying not to incite another game of echo pinball in her brain. She muttered a quick promise to the gods, hoping to make a deal. She'd never drink again, and they make the hangover go away, or at least mellow in intensity.

He responded by looking around curiously.

"I don't know," He finally answered. His next statement brought to the forefront how tangled up they were in the sheets and eachother. "We're clothed."

"So nothing happened. I mean, I don't feel like anything happened," She said, taking stock of 'down there'. Nothing hurt or felt strange like she had always heard it would. Their clothes were still on, only their shoes and socks missing. So everything was okay, right?

"Someone is cooking," Sesshoumaru said, untangling himself and standing. She followed his lead, creeping out into the hall and in the direction of voices and the smell of coffee.

"Morning," Sango said, dressed in a pair of boxers, male, Kagome noted, and a man's shirt. Not subtle in the least. Miroku was walking around in a pair of baggy pajama pants and nothing else, fiddling with some mugs. A tattoo stood out on the back of his next.

Everything from the night before came flooding back to her.

"Oh man," She groaned, understanding Sango's sudden ease around Sesshoumaru. After last night he'd be nothing less than a hypocrite if he even mentioned 'the rule' as she was coming to think of it.

"Coffee?" Miroku offered, a sly smile on his face as he held out two mugs. Kagome took hers and sipped it carefully. It was dark and bitter and the first sip dulled the noise in her head.

"Inu Yasha and Kouga are still passed out. We checked in on you guys to see if you wanted to get up for school. Both of you growled at us to get out. Figured an off day wouldn't kill you," Sango offered as she rolled an omelet up neatly.

She couldn't, wouldn't look at Sesshoumaru. For all she knew he could be furious. If she'd been in his position, she would be. He'd made the boundaries perfectly clear, and she'd blown past them. Alcohol or no, there was no excuse for violating a rule he felt was necessary.

"I'm going to get some air," She told them, fleeing for the front door and stepping out onto the landing. The steps were concrete and uncomfortable, but they were cool, which made her feel marginally more human as the chill crept into her flesh. The door opened and closed, and he was sitting next to her, his own mug of coffee steaming in his hand.

"I'm sorry for crossing the line last night," She muttered into the tense silence. After several minutes she was beginning to worry he'd tell her she was fired, no longer a part of the troupe.

"I never told you to stop," He informed her as quietly as she had apologized. "Although now those two have no reason to hide their relationship."

"You knew?" She asked, and was surprised by the chuckle that escaped.

"You are the only one I know that is worse at lying."

"Then, I mean, why did you say troupe members can't date? If you don't want to it's fine. Just don't use an excuse," She sighed, feeling exposed and vulnerable. Her headache was still throbbing painfully behind both temples, and her spit felt almost chewy.

"You are like them," He finally said, and she turned to him, confused. "I am not. You need something like that." The statement was punctuated by a sip of coffee.

"I'm still new to the dating thing, I'll admit that," She offered. "I don't know what I need. I probably won't for a long time, and I'm good with that. But now, here, since you started teaching me, I've had this crush-thing on you." It had sounded so good in her head, but halfway through she'd begun tripping over her words and trying to figure out what to say next.

"What I'm saying is, I like you. I know it sounds kind of silly, but I'm still new at this. I like hanging out with you, learning from you. And kissing you isn't half bad either," She admitted with a small smile. "And if I'm not what you need or want right now, that's fine. I would rather you tell me that than use an excuse."

"For being new to relationships, you view them very maturely," He told her.

"Mom's addicted to soaps, and I hate them. I don't understand why people emulate them, so much unnecessary angst." It was the truth, although it came out lightly enough that it only sounded half serious.

"I am attracted to you," He admitted slowly. "But I would not be the kind of partner a normal girl would want."

"I don't think a lot about my life is normal," She laughed. "How about we do what we've been doing since we met, only with more kissing and some cuddling if you're good."

His brow quirked at her tease.

"And if I'm bad?" He replied archly, then sobered, as if realizing he'd taken one step too far.

"We'll deal with that when it happens."

His mug grated on the concrete as he sat it down, and she allowed him to take hers next. Then he gripped her chin firmly and tilted her head up, his mouth moving down to claim hers. She flinched back, and his eyes widened.

"Not to ruin a perfectly romantic moment, but we both have breath comparable to roadkill," She apologized, smiling weakly. For a moment he looked like he was going to be offended, then decided not to. Instead he threw back his head and laughed, the first real laugh she'd ever heard from him. Instantly she decided that she liked it, and she'd have to find ways to hear it more often.

When they walked back inside, they were greeted enthusiastically by Sango and Miroku, both of whom began cheering when Kagome blushed furiously. The cheering woke up Kouga and Inu Yasha, groans and commands for quiet coming from beneath the blankets in the living room. Kohaku shuffled out, also in pajama pants and shirtless, rubbing his eyes.

"Why do you look so tired, you didn't even drink last night," Kagome said as she began setting the table at Sango's request.

"Noise," He muttered, throwing a glare at the kitchen. She followed his line of sight and saw Sango and Miroku cuddling as she cooked. Then a blush lit her cheeks.

"And it hits her," A groggy voice said. She turned, laughing at the picture the two friends made. Kouga's dark brown hair stood out everywhere, the ponytail holder only holding a quarter of the hair it had the night before, and Inu Yasha's was a tangled mass of white. Both, normally tan, were extremely pale and looked slightly nauseous.

"What happened last night?" Inu Yasha moaned as he sat down.

Kagome smiled impishly.

"There was another drinking contest. Losers had to make out," She informed them smartly as she sat the last plate down.

"Who lost?" They asked in unison.

"You two," She said, almost skipping into the kitchen, smiling at the mischief she'd made. Both men were shouting and accusing one another immediately, then denying it had ever happened.

"You're awful," Miroku chuckled, sly smile still plastered on his face. Unable to hold it back anymore, she beamed as the two began bickering. Sango was slicing two rolled omelets and Miroku took out the extra mugs of coffee for the two newest additions to the table. Taking the bowl of rice out after Sango exited, they sat everything down on the table.

The argument abruptly stopped when she kissed Sesshoumaru's cheek.

"Now that those two are quiet, we can eat," She announced cheerily.

"Holy shit, it worked!" Inu Yasha shouted, then flinched, hands clutching his head.

"What worked?" Kagome asked conversationally, although she had a good idea as to what he was talking about. Despite her alcohol intake, she still had a clear memory of the night before, and it wasn't lost on her that the troupe had taken every opportunity to get her and Sesshoumaru to kiss.

"Nothing," Kouga muttered, shoving a slice of omelet into his mouth.

"You are all very poor liars," Sesshoumaru murmured as he served Kagome and then himself.

"You two are the ones that kept acting like you weren't interested when all of us could see you were stupid for each other," Inu Yasha bit out before tipping back his mug and chugging the coffee down.

"You know, maybe he's right," Kagome sighed, then turned to Sesshoumaru. "I'm madly in love with you. Ever since you came into my life I can't stop thinking of you, needing you," She breathed dramatically, hands cupping his face.

He smirked. "This Sesshoumaru is a perfect specimen of manhood."

There was a complete silence at the table, followed shortly by gagging noises.

"So, did we really make out?" Kouga finally asked. "I need to know what to be prepared for when I go to work."

"Totally did," Sango clipped before going back to her rice.

"My memory is somewhat fuzzy after that fifth round, but I'm fairly certain you did," Miroku confirmed. Kohaku merely nodded from behind his mug and Sesshoumaru was perfectly still.

"Man," Inu Yasha wailed. "I kissed the asshole!"

"You? We were at my job, and I kissed you," Kouga snapped before covering his face with both hands. "I'm never drinking again."

"Hah!" Kagome scoffed. "That'll be the day. And you two didn't make out, stop whining, you're making my headache worse."

Both males sputtered and cursed and snarled, but stopped when he leveled a glare in the direction, amusement fading into annoyance. Somewhere a phone began going off, and Kagome jumped, excusing herself quickly.

Through the thin walls he could hear her speaking to someone, although he couldn't tell who. It sounded like she was setting up a meeting. There was a loud groan and an apology, then laughter. When she came back out she was smiling.

"The foundation was just setting up an appointment to get the papers together and go over everything," She informed them brightly. Everyone nodded, the reason for their celebration resurfacing from their hangovers.

"I can loan you some clothes," Sango offered. "At least to get you home."

"It's the day after tomorrow," Kagome said, shrugging.

"You still need something to wear," Sango pointed out. "You slept in those."

"It would be nice," Kagome admitted. "A shower too, maybe?"

"Ladies first. We bathed this morning, so they can battle it out for the hot water," Sango smirked. "Unless of course, you want to shower with someone," She added, her smile eerily similar to Miroku's.

"I'm fine," Kagome squeaked. "Just show me where the towels are and we're golden."

Both women left the table, heading into the back room to find some clothes for her to wear after she'd bathed. Four sets of male eyes focused on him.

"Don't do anything to hurt Kagome or I get first dibs on making you a corpse," Kouga growled.

"She is still rather innocent," Miroku began, trying to phrase it gently.

"Kagome's one of the good girls, a real one. Don't treat her like you treated the other women," Inu Yasha warned.

Kohaku said nothing, and Sesshoumaru only nodded before setting down his chopsticks.

"It is our own affair," He informed, then finished his coffee, thinking of a time in the near future where, if she even lasted that long, he'd be telling her goodbye. But her own words had convinced him that it would be okay. Amazingly levelheaded for a female, especially for one so new to men, her assurance that she was okay with now instead of forever had decided him on the matter. If there was a break, when -he corrected himself- there was a break, both would be mature about it, and it wouldn't affect the troupe.

"Just don't be a douchebag," Kouga warned before going back to his breakfast.

The table was silent until Sango came back and sat down. Minutes later the shower started and he resisted the urge to leave the table and join his new partner in the stall.

"So does anyone else's tattoo itch?" Sango asked, breaking the silence. Normal conversation resumed, although he didn't take part in it. When Kagome emerged, she was wearing a baseball jersey and loose fitting khaki shorts.

While Inu Yasha and Kouga argued about who was going to go next, he caught Miroku mouthing 'hall closet' and nodded, making good his escape and leaving Kagome behind.

"Nice hickey," He heard and paused.

"Hickey?" Kagome shouted, alarmed. "Where?"

Opting for flight, he closed the door to the bathroom behind him firmly.

* * *

A/N: Fluff? Okay kind of. I can see both Kagome and Sesshoumaru being very levelheaded about relationships, you know, before they actually get in one. Then all bets are off.

So the song for this chapter is Eco ft. Eller Van Buuren, My Name Is You(th), from the album M(you)Sic. Spinning to the song itself makes me feel like my feet are exactly two inches off of the ground(Tom Robbins fans will get it).

The program Kohaku uses is based off of a program I used to completely, utterly procrastinate early on in the series (third chapter, I've been planning that far ahead). It's called Hanzi Master, and it is awesome. It works pretty much in the way I wrote it in the story. It took me forever to figure out Sesshoumaru's tattoo, because I figured after getting set on fire, having fire (huo) tattooed on you probably wouldn't seem like the best idea even when you're drunk. Maybe especially when you're drunk.

Reviews will restore my sanity. Please?


	12. Deep Impression

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 12: Deep Impression**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha or the song by Right Face**

**Warning:** This has lemonlime sort of content. Soz, I really did try to stop it. The more explicit version is on Dokuga, which is set as my homepage on my profile. Someone asked about the difference in ratings between the two, now you know. Also, any explicit content is going to Dokuga from now on, including my lemons (for all of you eighteen and up pervs out there).

* * *

Kagome greeted Izayoi with a reluctant smile, knowing the woman had seen photos of the troupe, and more specifically she and Sesshoumaru from a few nights before. Izayoi looked stern and disapproving for two minutes, arms crossed under her bust and tapping her foot.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" She asked.

"I'm, umm, sorry?" Kagome tried, although she still found it difficult to be sorry for anything that had happened that night. The only drawbacks were the hickey she had been forced to buy concealer for and the incessant itching of her healing tattoo.

A grin bloomed on Izayoi's face.

"Never be sorry for a good time. I brought the pictures of you and Sesshoumaru, you know, in case you wanted them," She offered with a puckish smile. Kagome accepted the envelope, knowing he rface was beet red. "So, we've gotten quite good at this since starting. It didn't take a lot to get the paperwork drawn up. It just requires your signature, as you're a legal adult, and my own. Still want to put on a show for your mother?"

Kagome wondered how such a well bred woman could be so down to earth, nodding as she led her up the steps to the shrine.

"Well, she's been paying your tuition thus far, so she'll have an interest. I'll bring up the activity, and you grab the photos and video."

"Oh, they're all on disk, and I don't have a laptop," Kagome moaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Taken care of," Izayoi assured her, patting the heavy looking bag at her side. "I needed it in case your mother asked about the foundation. I had a fake website created just in case she's curious."

"Can I tell them, you know, that we talk?" Kagome asked as they neared the top of the steps.

"No," Izayoi said firmly, shaking her head. "It wouldn't go well. Inu Yasha might try to contact me, and I don't want Touga to know how much I've been helping them."

Kagome nodded in understanding.

"If possible, I would like to meet with you now and again, hear how they're doing. Personal investigators can be so apathetic to the little things that matter."

"Well, Kouga and Inu Yasha are friends again," Kagome offered. "They argue like crazy, but it's just how they are."

"How are Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha getting along?"

"They act like they can't stand each other, but I know they care. I don't think they know how to be normal brothers. Sniping at one another is just their way of getting along," She opined. Izayoi nodded, a small smile dancing on her lips as they mounted the steps that led to Kagome's front door.

"Ready?" Izayoi asked. Kagome nodded.

What happened next stunned Kagome. Izayoi was a one woman whirlwind, taking over the situation and playing her role to the hilt. Nodoka asked a thousand questions, and Inu Yasha's mother answered all of them patiently, explaining the scholarship to her.

Her mother was overjoyed, and kept mentioning how driven Kagome was, and how she would give her education everything she had. Each time this was said, Kagome's stomach clenched and twisted more tightly until she was sure she was going to vomit.

"That brings me to the last stipulation Kagome. Our foundation likes to support well rounded individuals. Do you have an extracurricular activities? Track, maybe lacrosse?" Izayoi asked, her face a perfect mask of curiosity.

"Kagome's never made much time for sports," Nodoka broke in, looking nervous. "Her studies have always been her main focus." Kagome tried not to shoot a glare at the woman answering for her. Somehow her mother made it sound like it was all her fault she hadn't participated in school clubs!

"Do they have to be school related?" Kagome asked hesitantly, praying her acting skills were up to par. Pretending to be nervous was no problem, it was not melting to the floor in a puddle of shame that was difficult.

"Well, no, there's nothing that strictly says it has to be a school activity," Izayoi hedged. "I might have to run it by the foundation for approval if it isn't, just to be safe."

Kagome was sure if either of them lied any more, they would burst into flame on the spot.

"If you could please wait a moment," Kagome murmured, getting off the couch and going up the stairs, making sure to take the envelope of photos with her. She paused for a moment when Nodoka began speaking, making up excuses for her daughter's lack of activities outside of scholastic pursuits and asking if it was possible that Kagome could join one to gain the scholarship. There was an edge of desperation to the older Higurashi's voice, and Kagome knew that Izayoi had neatly cornered Nodoka. If it hadn't been done with such deceit, Kagome would be happy. Instead, the whole situation was flavored with a bitterness she couldn't quite explain.

When she came back down, disk in hand, she gave it to Nodoka. "This is a troupe I recently began working with. The leader is currently teaching me tessenjutsu. Perhaps since it's a martial art, the foundation will allow it," She explained, ignoring the surprised expression in her mother's eyes.

Izayoi began scrolling through the photos, a warm smile on her face. "These are exquisite. This is tessenjutsu?" She asked, pausing on each picture.

"Well, yes an no. These prop I'm using is a fire fan, the design is based on one of the bigger tessen, a menhari-gata. Some are taken of me going through the kata I've been taught, and the others are of me and a friend working through a routine, the latter are stills taken from the video."

By now Nodoka had given in to her curiosity and come to peer over their shoulders at the photographs. There was a small gasp behind them, and Kagome did her best not to turn and beg her mother to forgive her. It would be incredibly rude and she wouldn't cause a scene in front of Izayoi after everything the woman had done to help her.

The video came on, and Kagome watched it, a small smile dancing on her lips.

"He has one arm," Nodoka breathed.

"He's very talented," Izayoi bit out with more force than necessary, startling Nodoka. "You both are. It's an unusual hobby, but given that you're learning a martial art, even if it's not in a recognized dojo, the foundation should recognize it as a valid one. If you don't mind, may I make a copy of these?"

"That would be fine," Kagome murmured. The video ended and Izayoi silently copied the disk to her hard drive before popping it out and handing it back to Kagome.

"I think you have a very bright future Miss Higurashi, and I think it's safe to say that you'll be receiving the scholarship."

"Thank you," Kagome breathed, bowing deeply, afraid she would give the act away if she said anything else. Nodoka's effusive thanks followed Izayoi out of the house and when the door closed, Kagome could swear the temperature in her home dropped several degrees. Staying seated, she waited for her mother to come back in and let loose.

Instead, Nodoka sat across from her, rigidly upright and frowning.

"You haven't been studying, have you?" Nodoka accused quietly, the words so sharp they burned into her.

"I have," Kagome defended, shoulders drooping.

"Then what was _that_?"

"I'm able to do both. I need something to keep me balanced," She tried, wanting to make her mother understand, only to be interrupted again.

"Fire? I thought we talked about that. It's not safe."

Kagome was about to say it was perfectly safe, but stopped when she remembered Sesshoumaru's arm.

"I'm sorry I disobeyed you. I didn't like hiding it, I really didn't. But it makes me happy. I've made friends, and I'm, I'm making something beautiful. We're making something beautiful, just for the sake of making it," She amended. "It's glorious."

Nodoka sniffed once, and Kagome's head jerked up to look at the woman sitting across from her in the old, overstuffed chair. Angry tears were welling up in the older woman's eyes, and Kagome felt like she'd been kicked in the stomach. Nodoka's expression was nothing short of furious.

"I don't want to see you hurt, or like me," Nodoka started, voice still burning through with anger.

"I'm not going to leave school or start getting bad grades," She promised. "And we're all very careful when we burn."

There was a long silence, and Nodoka nodded once before standing abruptly and leaving the room. Her silence wasn't approval or even happiness that such a lucrative scholarship had been gained. It did reek of disappointment and condemnation however, and the magnitude of her and Izayoi's farce only added to it, weighing down her shoulders. Guilt puckered sourly in her mouth, crept in and seized her conscience. She was lying to everyone. Her mother. Sesshoumaru. The troupe. Kujaku.

What should have felt like a victory felt like nothing more than a conglomeration of failure and deceit.

* * *

When he saw Kagome, she was coming to braid his hair in the morning as she usually did. However she was much more subdued than she had been before her meeting with the foundation representative. Normally he would have enjoyed the quiet, but something about her expression pricked at his temper.

"How did it go?" He asked, knowing she would immediately know what he was speaking of.

"Mom's still angry. She still hasn't spoken to me, this morning she just handed me my lunch and walked away," Kagome mumbled.

"We have a job tonight," He reminded her, hoping to draw her out of her dark mood. She only nodded and shrugged, sitting down across from him and folding her arms before using them to pillow her forehead. Dark, wavy hair spilled down, and he moved to touch it, push it out of the way before drawing his hand back.

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome finally asked, peering up at him, eyes curiously blank.

"Hn?" He replied, pretending to read something on his laptop.

"Can you keep a secret?"

He already kept many. One more couldn't hurt, especially one from her. What secret could compare to the double life she'd been living?

"I can."

"From everyone?" She asked.

He nodded. He was already keeping secrets from 'everyone', including her.

"Izayoi is the one who gave me the scholarship," She whispered, the sound tinged with self loathing and derision. The admission stopped him short and any pretense of working on his paper died a swift, quiet death. Gathering up his things and packing them away neatly, he stood and began walking. When she didn't follow, he paused.

"Are you coming?" He bit out, harsher than he intended. Slowly she stood and shuffled up to him, eyes fastened on the floor. Leading her out of the library and across campus, he ignored the curious stares, mind turning her confession over in his head again and again.

When they got into the car, he slammed his door and roared out of the parking deck, intent on going somewhere, anywhere where they wouldn't be overheard. Izayoi knew about the others, knew about Kagome, which meant that someone was following them. The conversation he wanted to have could be for their ears only.

Driving in a random direction and checking his review mirror for anyone following them, he kept going for the better part of half an hour before pulling into a parking garage and turning the car off. Another car pulled in after them, parking a discreet distance away. However, if they kept their conversation quiet, all should be well. Or he was getting paranoid. Erring on the side of caution, he spoke quietly.

"How do you know it was Izayoi?"

"The day I went to go get coffee, she called me and asked me to meet her. I was going to go yell at her, for abandoning you and inu Yasha like that. But she started explaining-"

Panic. Pure panic raced down his spine, then chilled under the force of cool logic. If Kagome knew the terms of his return, she'd be furious, not depressed, and he highly doubted she would confess in such a situation.

"She told me that your father won't listen to her about helping you both out. He refuses to look in on you, anything. No offense, he sounds like a real jerk. Apparently she's the one that paid your hospital debt and is paying for your tuition. And the whole troupe's. Even Shippou and Koharu's," She breathed, puling her knees to her chest and hugging them tightly. "I don't like keeping secrets, but she said if I told, everyone would feel bought off for being nice to you instead of earning it, and she made the point that we had earned it," She pointed out, shaking her head. "I don't feel like I did though."

He was quiet, digesting the information and checking it for any false notes. Finding nothing that sounded wildly untrue, he looked up at the ceiling of the car, blinking slowly. His father didn't know. Izayoi had tried to tell him, and then gone behind his back and helped out both his brother and himself, which sounded like her. It also wasn't a huge leap to imagine her funding the educations of everyone within the troupe, even their makeup artist and photographer. Kami knew his father wouldn't miss the money, and unless he looked at the names on the paperwork, he'd never know she was aiding his disowned sons.

What had barely made sense before became perfectly clear. His father probably avoided looking in on them so he wouldn't be tempted to help, that much he could assume safely. It was also safe to assume Izayoi would worry about Inu Yasha, and perhaps even him, and want to help. While his stepmother had never been vocal about her disapproval of their year long banishment, she hadn't supported it in the least either.

But she had said nothing to Kagome of his and and inu Yasha's return, which was one piece he couldn't place neatly among the others. Did she even know if the others knew or not? If she did, was she giving them both a chance to come clean? It was the only feasible thing he could picture. While only the family knew of the terms, or that they might be welcomed back at all, he couldn't picture her withholding the information for any other reason.

"I'm sorry. She didn't want me to tell anyone," Kagome whispered. "I'll understand if you're angry."

The silence was deafening, and somewhere a car door slammed, echoing in the concrete confines of the parking garage.

"I am not angry. I am glad you told me," He finally said. It was not a lie. "But she is correct, do not tell the others. Inu Yasha would seek her out, and the troupe would not enjoy the idea of being bought off."

"It's not though, not for them anyway," She defended. "All of them earned it."

"And you haven't?" He retorted, surprised by himself. Kagome shrugged and and buried her face behind her knees. "You are a hard worker and a good student," He tried, wanting to bring her out of her funk. Her unnatural silence was something he was not accustomed to, and he was finding more and more that he didn't like it. "You merely had the good fortune to cross her path. Do not discount your own abilities so quickly."

She looked up, tears pouring down her face, although she made no sound, didn't even breath heavily.

"She asked me to meet with her now and again, to tell her things about you two. I told her I would. Is that alright?" He nodded his assent, not willing to make a liar out of her after everything she'd confessed. It wasn't hard to see how much better she felt for being honest with him, and he wondered if she felt better after getting so many secrets off of her chest.

"I lied to mom, I just traded one for another. I can be honest about what I'm doing with the troupe, but she thinks I applied for the scholarship. Even so, she's still angry at me. I've never seen her this mad," Kagome whimpered, finally coming to the lie that obviously bothered her the most.

His relationship with his father had never been a dishonest one. The problem had been that they were both implicitly honest with one another, and from his end it had always been a bitter, cutting sort of honesty. Until he had begun hiding the possibility of his return home from the troupe, he had accorded that honesty to everyone.

Kagome was a poor liar, although he could see her making small, white lies to save the feelings of others. Nothing more. It was still a surprise that she had been able to hide Izayoi's involvement as long as she had, although it had obviously bothered her.

"Your mother," He began, searching for words. "Has tried to hold you in a box, to keep you separate from the world while walking within it. It was a fool's endeavor. In life you will hurt those you love, sooner or later, as they will hurt you. In time she will forgive you."

"You really think so?" Kagome sniffed, still looking straight ahead.

"I do." After all, the woman had raised Kagome, the most forgiving person he knew. Given that and the fact that soon enough the drain on her bank account would end, the woman would probably be delirious with joy, or at the very least grateful Kagome had taken up such a hobby.

"Thanks," She sighed, leaning against him. He shifted uncomfortably, suddenly very aware they were being watched. The feeling pricked at him, and he imagined hearing a camera shutter click in the hollow silence inherent of parking garages.

"A car followed us here," He informed her. She made an unladylike noise.

"Izayoi gave me the pictures of us from the bar. At first I thought it was just going to be the ones of us making out like she said, but she gave me a lot more than that. I wish I could show the others, we look so happy. But I don't know how to explain getting them."

"She brought that up?" He asked, shock coloring his words. Izayoi had always been a plainspoken sort of woman, but he found it difficult to believe she would venture into those waters. He did applaud Kagome's wisdom though, after his shock died. Explaining having photos of them would only raise more questions, ones he refused to answer, and would be damned before he let his halfwit brother attempt to explain.

"Oh yeah, she thinks it's hilarious," Kagome drawled. "Too bad she tossed the first set away though," She mumbled. "From the first time we kissed. I would like to see the red compound in action."

He doubted those had been thrown away. Izayoi was the sort of person that kept her photos. She had several photograph books filled with pictures of family she had never even met, not to mention the ones of her son and husband, and even him. He made a note to find them when he was allowed back to the family seat and spirit them away. Possibly even get them to Kagome, if she would speak to him after everything was said and done. After her work on the compounds, she deserved them.

"We should probably go back to school," She sighed, beginning to pull away.

"We have already missed our first classes," He suggested. Blue eyes narrowed and a smile bloomed, the first one he'd seen all day.

"You of all people are suggesting we play hookey?"

"Now that we are allowed in the gym, I would have you begin learning simpler acrobatics." Her face fell and he couldn't help but tease her. "Unless there is something else you would rather do?" It came out as a purr and she pulled further away from him, her whole face flooding with color.

There hadn't been enough opportunities to kiss her. Rarely were they alone anymore, and he was not one to betray any sort of intimacy in public. Despite the drunken show they'd given the troupe, he didn't consider kissing or touching in front of them to be particularly pleasant either. Curiously eager to steal time for something as simple as kissing -possibly more- he ignored the little voice in the back of his mind that told him he should tread carefully. Very carefully.

"N-no, I think we've given Izayoi enough to laugh at," She muttered.

"I don't think so," He breathed, moving closer to her, trapping her between the door and himself.

"What is it with you and cars?" She demanded, chuckling weakly, pressing herself against the door. With nowhere else to go, he moved forward until his lips were almost brushing hers, his eyes reflecting back at him in the clear blue orbs inches from his own.

"If you don't want me to kiss you, all you need do is say no." With each word their lips barely touched, light as butterfly wings, each soft contact imparting electricity until her lips tingled. Giving in with a groan she closed the space between them and opened up to him.

He always demanded, always took over the kiss, never coaxing, just commanding submission. Despite her inexperience she didn't feel clumsy or silly or awkward, mimicking him. His tongue swept up the center of her upper lip and nipped it gently, turning the tingle into jagged bolts of heat. A moan rose from her throat, escaping into his mouth as he seemed to inhale it, steal it completely, returning it with dark sound that incited something between fear and lust.

When his arm closed around her and drug her onto his lap, her legs straddling him, she didn't protest. The steering wheel dug into her back painfully and his hand fumbled on the side of the seat until it tipped back several inches. When the hand returned to touching her, it was to slide under her shirt, fingers burning the sensitive skin of her stomach.

Nervous by the sudden intimacy of the touch, she pulled back, panting slightly. His pale eyes hard darkened into a deep, burnished gold and his nostrils flared slightly as he exhaled. The hand on her stomach shifted down to her hip, only two of his fingers still resting on her skin, burning like hot irons.

"I can't," She started, stopping when she realized how stupid she must sound. He nodded, understanding immediately.

"I will not force anything," He promised, and relief swept through her, relaxing the anxious knot her heart had become for those brief seconds. The hand wandered up, just a little until she felt the smoothness of his palm resting on her side, urging her back down. Her hands, resting on his chest, wandered lower. Keeping watch on his face, she noticed his jaw clench as she slipped them under his shirt, letting them rest on his stomach.

"Is this alright?" She finally asked, inches from his face. A tight nod was her response before she leaned down and began kissing him again. It was different this time, and she wondered if it was their positions. Shyly taking the opportunity to explore, she delicately tasted his lips. Curiously her hands moved, one sliding up his side and the other to his navel, where her thumb found the line of hair that had consistently drawn her gaze. A pulse shivered through her body as her thumb swept over it, his own grip on her tightening in response, pulling her closer to him.

When his hips rocked up gently, the strange pulse from before returned, pulling a moan from her. Apparently encouraged by the noise, he did it again, and again. The pulsing turned into a hot, steady throbbing between hr legs, the friction only intensifying the feeling. Rocking her own hips gently in response, something resemble a growl escaped into the kiss, thrumming against her lips and tongue.

His hand tightened, guided her movements until she found the right pace, sliding against him. Distantly she knew there was relief somewhere on the other side of the tension forming in her stomach, urging her her on, increasing her pace. Breathless sighs and moans were exhaled into the kiss as she instinctively moved against him, burning up from the inside. Something felt coiled and ready to break, and it frightened her even as she careened headlong into it, unable to stop. Whimpering when he pulled back, her eyes shot open, surprised to see him looking equally strained.

"Let it happen," He rumbled, voice unnaturally deep. His hips started moving faster, his hand forcing her hips down, the sensitive area between her legs grinding against him. The increased friction was too much, too quickly. Feeling like she was a firework shot into the sky, the tension broke, releasing euphoria as every cell in her body seemed to fly apart.

When her eyes opened again, she was still straddling him, but her head was resting next to his, cupped by his hand, fingers tangled in her hair. Feeling heavy and warm, as if she'd drunk warm sake, she blinked twice before looking up. A lazy smile drifted on his features, his half lidded eyes their normal light hazel instead of the deep gold from before.

Unsure of what to say, she smiled shyly in response.

"You are exceedingly fond of playing with fire," He told her, the lazy smile never leaving his features.

"Is that bad?" For a moment worry flickered through her, breaking through the sleepy warmth.

"Not at all."

The statement banished any fear and she snuggled into him, eyes drifting shut.

He watched her, letting her doze in the wake of what he assumed to be her first orgasm. He was just managing to get a hold on his own lust, although a purely male sense of satisfaction hummed through him at her response. That he'd been able to instill pleasure with kisses and simple friction alone was enough to make him wonder what he could coax from her with more concentrated efforts. The fact they that were in his car, in a parking garage didn't bother him in the least, barely registered in fact.

She was...Exquisite in her innocence. There was nothing that dubbed her reaction an act, or forced. Before she'd peaked he had seen the flash of fear in her eyes, as if she didn't wholly understand what was happening. The honesty of her response to his touch had only heightened his own need to take her higher and force her over the edge. Even as he'd tethered his own lust to keep from crossing a boundary she'd regret, the force of her orgasm and the moan that had echoed in the car had made it worth it.

Tension seeped out of his muscles as he regarded her. Bruised, kiss stained lips were slightly parted, half smiling, her whole expression relaxed. Euphoric was the only thing that came to mind as he stared. She snuggled into him, shifting and curving her spine so her head rested under his chin. He reached around her, his hand going under her shirt to rest on her back. Her skin was so smooth and warm. Looking back, he tried to remember finding the feel of someone's skin tantalizing, erotic in and of itself, and couldn't.

They stayed like that, both drifting in and out lazily, until her phone rang, shattering the peaceful silence. He pulled the phone out of her pocket before she moved back into her seat, blinking groggily. Immediately he missed the feel of her, the warmth dissipating quickly as he flipped the phone open.

"Where are you?" Inu Yasha snapped impatiently.

He wasn't entirely sure.

"Why?" He asked instead.

"Sesshoumaru? What the hell, this is Kagome's phone!"

"What do you want?"

"Kagome was supposed to help me go over my chem notes. You guys aren't, I didn't-" Inu Yasha began.

"No," Sesshoumaru bit out. "But we are not on campus. I was going to take her to the gym to begin teaching her tumbling."

"Oh, well Kouga's already done with classes for the day. You should have him join you."

He could not think of anything he wanted less at that moment. But missing an arm meant he wouldn't be able to spot her fully, which could lead to injury, something he didn't want.

"I'll grab him and we can meet you there," Inu Yasha said.

"I thought you had another class," Sesshoumaru tried. Inu Yasha made a rude noise.

"Like you didn't?"

Conceding defeat, Sesshoumaru gave the affirmative and closed the phone. Kagome stretched in the seat, her back arching and exposing the flesh of her stomach.

"What now?" She sighed after relaxing and putting on her seatbelt.

"Basic tumbling." She groaned and let her head fall back against the headrest.

"Umm, I'm not sure how this goes, but, thank you," She finally murmured as he pulled out of the parking garage and onto the street. He chanced a quick glance at her, feeling irrationally pleased with himself a a blush dusted her cheeks.

"One does not normally say thank you," He told her, smirking when her blush deepened. "Your pleasure was more than enough reward." She nodded dumbly, still not speaking. He wouldn't tell her that most men would not view it as such, that before he had not viewed a woman's reaction as it's own reward. But the image of her as she'd shattered was a sight he'd greedily memorized and found his own satiation in.

"Is it always like that?" She finally asked.

No, definitely not. Sometimes, most of the time, it wasn't nearly that good, but he wasn't about to tell her that. Nor was he going to tell her it could be infinitely better.

"Perhaps this is a conversation you should have with Sango," He informed her, feeling slightly awkward. Kagome nodded mutely, a small smile still on her lips.

Navigating the city proved more difficult than he had first anticipated, as they were in an area he didn't recognize. After half an hour and several wrong turns he was surprised when Kagome informed them of their location.

"My father used to work in this area," She said. "Mom would bring me down here to have lunch with him sometimes when I was little."

"Do you know where the college is in relation to here?" He was hesitant to admit that he was lost, but she smiled and pointed east. It was enough for him to begin getting his bearings as he drove east, finally finding a street he recognized.

"You never speak about him," He finally said, breaking the silence.

"I don't remember a lot," She admitted. "Small things. The rain. Every chance he had he'd take me out in it. And pottery. He had this weird obsession with pottery, although it's hard to remember how exactly, more that he was really interested in it. I've always been too scared of hurting mom to ask about it. His favorite treat was manju, he'd always bring a box of them home on Fridays and we'd make it a goal to eat them all before mom finished dinner. One time I ate so many I made myself sick," She chuckled.

"Did you do it again?" He asked.

"Yeah, it never occurred to me to not do it. It was our tradition. In retrospect, mom probably laughed herself silly."

"You never talk about your mom," She observed carefully, breaking the silence they had drifted into.

"There is not much to say," He admitted. "She is-" How did he finish that statement?

"Is?" Kagome asked after a long pause.

"Once she was a model, and when she became pregnant, she decided to retire, and became a prominent editor of a magazine. She has since moved up and become a leading partner."

"Oh, what magazine?" Kagome asked, genuinely curious.

"Figaro," He replied, waiting for the normal reaction. When she gave him a blank look he was surprised to be utterly relieved. Hatsuki loved working for the magazine, because she was the queen of living the high life, as it were. Believing luxury was the key to happiness, she used the magazine as an excuse to live the life she wanted, her family's money (and very old money they were) giving her the means.

"Never heard of it," She finally said, somewhat apologetically. Unable to explain that he was grateful she hadn't latched onto it like every other woman he'd dated. Although he supposed she wasn't someone who would read a magazine that revolved entirely around luxury and opulence. Did she even own a dress? He could only recall seeing her in pants and Sango's shorts. Not once had he ever seen her in a skirt.

"She often travels," He told her. And he liked it that way. His mother was as manipulative as she was beautiful, and that he hadn't sought her help was a testament to that. When she saw him again, he had no doubt she would look at his arm in disgust and try to avoid him. As a person that constantly surrounded herself by beauty, she abhorred all things she found unattractive, even the slightest imperfection making an otherwise beautiful object or person repulsive. Since before he could remember, he had been the apple of her eye, with remarks about his beauty being solely her genes and such.

That would change, and he could say with complete honesty that it would be one of the better results to come of losing a limb.

Sensing his disquiet, Kagome said nothing more for the duration of the drive, opting instead to watch the world go by, stealing sidelong glances at him every now and again. Every time he would turn his head ever so slightly to show he'd caught her staring, she'd turn back to the window, the redness of her blush reflecting in the glass.

When they finally arrived, Kagome dug through her bag and pulled a brush out, fixing the disheveled mess of her hair before pulling it back into a tight ponytail. Kouga's car was already parked, one of three cars present besides his own.

"Wait," Kagome said, stopping him from getting out. "Your hair, I need to fix it."

What was wrong with his hair? Checking it in the mirror, he saw what hadn't been immediately obvious. The sides looked as if someone had run their fingers through it, pulling an inch or two loose from the braid. Submitting to her ministrations, he savored the feel of her hands caressing his hair.

"Your roots are beginning to show," She observed as she brushed it out. He didn't often look in the mirror, so it was something he hadn't noticed, or even considered. The black would clash garishly with the white, and he wasn't sure what would look worse. They were no closer to being able to afford the dye than before, and it would be several weeks to get the ingredients shipped of Koharu was to be believed.

"You could always get it touched up," She suggested.

Yes, because he wanted to intentionally look like a deviant.

"At least it's free and you won't look liked a zebra," She scoffed, guessing his thoughts.

She had a valid point, not that he would admit it out loud.

"Plus the white is beautiful. It's hard to imagine you any other way."

His braid was finished, although he said nothing to her suggestion. Wisely she dropped the subject as they headed inside. The gym itself was one big open space. It alternately taught gymnastics and martial arts tricking, the rare, expansive open space perfectly suited for it. There were two foam pits, several mats, and the normal gymnastics equipment was stored in the back, leaving the middle open.

"Hey guys!" Kouga called out, his voice echoing. "Class starts in about two hours, so we have it until then."

They both walked to the foam pit where Inu Yasha lay, looking incredibly smug.

"What's this for?" Kagome asked, confused. It looked like a foam equivalent of a ball pit, something children played in.

"Watch!" Kouga called out from the far end of the mats. Inu Yasha's smug smile faded as he scrambled out of the pit, Kouga already running down the line of tape on the floor. Inu Yasha had just gotten out when Kouga kicked and then contorted his body, flying through the air and landing in the foam pit. His smile echoed Inu Yasha's.

"That was amazing!" Kagome breathed, eyes wide as Kouga hauled himself from the pit and back onto solid ground.

"Good, because today you're going to deal with it a lot," Kouga informed her cheekily.

"I could never do anything like that," She replied in a small voice.

"Not yet, but someday, if you keep practicing. For now we're just going to get you comfortable with falling."

"Falling?" Kagome asked, screeching when tow arms hauled her up from behind and tossed her into the pit. Landing face down, she came up practically hissing, about to start berating Inu Yasha when Kouga began laughing.

"See? Falling. Not so bad, was it?" Inu Yasha asked.

"A little warning would be great," She muttered.

"Here's a warning. Do your stretches, and I mean all of them," Kouga instructed. "And I'll go hunt up some proper clothes for you to wear. You too," He said, casting a glance at Sesshoumaru before walking off to one side of the gym.

"Think you can still do any of your old tricks?" Inu Yasha asked, smirking at Sesshoumaru, who was already stretching. Kagome went through her own stretches, warming her body up. By the time she was done, Kouga had returned with two pairs of shorts and a sports bra, blushing slightly.

"I can just-" She started.

"They're new, no worries. It's just, a regular one-" He started, then stopped, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"A regular undergarment can become quite uncomfortable," Sesshoumaru inserted deftly, earning a grateful nod from Kouga. Kagome accepted the clothing hesitantly.

"Can I wear a shirt?" She asked.

"If you've got a spare. You'll be sweating a lot," Kouga sighed. Kagome shook her head and he shrugged helplessly. "It's not like you're going to be wearing less than any of the other girls that come here," He tried, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"I don't see the problem," Inu Yasha groused. "You've worn a bikini before, right?" She nodded cautiously. "This covers more than that does. Hurry up and go get changed."

Obeying the command, she tried not to feel uncomfortable when Sesshoumaru entered the locker room with her.

"There is only one," He pointed out. "The showers are through there, you can change in privacy."

Fleeing when he began removing his shirt, she rounded the corner and took in the open showers that had nothing to give even a remote air of privacy. Hoping she wouldn't need one by the time she was done, she changed slowly, looking at the ridiculously tiny black shorts before putting them on. They hugged her skin and felt small enough to qualify as underwear.

'Bikini. Bikini,' She reminded herself before tugging on the gray sports bra. It pressed her breasts in, almost flattening her chest completely. Feeling slightly less sexual now that she'd been reduced to the cup size of a twelve year old boy, a skinny one, she took stock of herself. Flat chest, impossibly pale skinny legs, soft tummy.

No one could look at her and see anything remotely sexual, and when she thought of Sesshoumaru, she felt a brief flicker of annoyance. Shaking her head, she gathered her clothes and walked out, grateful Sesshoumaru had already finished changing. Putting her shoes and clothes in one of the open cubbyholes, she paused before walking back into the gym.

"Hurry up, stop being such a girl!" Inu Yasha called, and she remembered him saying it once before. Forcing her feet to move before she had another chance to change her mind, she stepped onto the main gym floor, forcing a bright smile.

"Good, they fit."

"Watch, Sesshoumaru's been showing off," Inu Yasha said as she walked up. Sesshoumaru was twisting his body, and suddenly threw himself into a corkscrew sort of twist, hit the ground, and like he had springs built into his feet, bounced into the air again, kicking with first one leg and then another. Another landing led into a flip and that landing turned into a low sweeping kick that almost circled around him. Apparently not quite finished, he used the momentum to launch himself into the air again and twist midair before landing neatly.

"Wow," She breathed, watching him walk over to them. His black shorts almost hit the knee, and he wasn't wearing a shirt, exposing lean muscles and a stomach she was positive she could do laundry on if given half a chance. It was with a gargantuan effort of will that she didn't let her eyes travel lower, knowing the stark line of hair waited.

"Looks like the cripple's still got moves," Inu Yasha snorted form her side, bringing her back from her musings.

"Inu Yasha!" She hissed.

"Actually it's pretty amazing," Kouga admitted.

"Why? I mean, it's awesome," She stuttered, Sesshoumaru's brow arching as if amused.

"My center of gravity changed when I lost my arm," He informed her. "It was merely a matter of finding the correct way to balance."

"Like I said, showoff," Inu Yasha laughed before moving back to the foam pit. The rest of the group followed, and suddenly Kagome felt herself lifted into the air unexpectedly and thrown into the pit. Landing on her bottom this time she glared up at the three males smirking down at her.

"Who did it?" She growled as she pulled herself out. Inu Yasha and Kouga shook their heads and pointed at Sesshoumaru, who said nothing but continued smiling.

"Okay, enough," Kouga said when she didn't stop glaring. "How about a cartwheel first? Can you do one?"

Her first attempt was perfect. Cartwheels had always been easy, and she hadn't stopped once she grew into adulthood. Next Inu Yasha mentioned a round off, which proved more difficult. Uncomfortable with Kouga and Inu Yasha both grabbing her hips at separate times, she fumbled through it a dozen times before successfully landing it. When they only told her to do it again, she groaned and tried, failing and breaking into a cartwheel.

"Pop your shoulders," Inu Yasha instructed. It took several repetitions before she was able to perform six without making a mistake.

"Trampoline?" Kouga asked Sesshoumaru, who nodded. Kagome watched as Kouga drug a small square trampoline from the wall and put it in front of the ball pit.

"Kagome, watch me," Kouga instructed. He moved back and ran forward jumped on the trampoline and flipped midair before landing in the foam pit. Inu Yasha, intent on returning his friend's earlier rush, called out for her to watch, sending Kouga scrambling out. Another flip and Inu Yasha was pulling himself out, smiling at her.

"Your turn," He said, gesturing to the line.

"I can't do it," She protested.

"It's easy," Inu Yasha coaxed.

"Nothing to it, one of the simplest moves in the book," Kouga cajoled.

Sesshoumaru muttered something uncomplimentary before taking her hand and leading her to the trampoline.

"Get on," He instructed calmly. She stepped on, feeling the springs tighten as they stretched. Looking to Sesshoumaru for guidance, he brought his arm to her middle. "On three, bounce off, and bend over my arm as you fall, let your legs come up, like a somersault."

She did as he instructed, and found herself staring up at him, a smile blooming on her face.

"That wasn't hard," She breathed.

"Again."

They repeated the move several times, each time with the instruction to push harder against the trampoline. When he moved back and nodded, she looked forward and tried it without him to spot her. As she had before, she landed face up in the foam. When she got out, all three men were smiling approvingly.

"Want to try with a running start?" Kouga asked. Emboldened by her recent success, she nodded and moved down the taped line. When she'd given herself enough room to start, she glanced over to the men before bringing her gaze back to the line.

Lunging forward she started to run. Her stomach tightened and she jumped onto the trampoline, bounced into the air...And forgot everything she'd learned, turning into a screaming, flailing uncoordinated mess that landed face down, limbs splayed wide, in the foam pit.

"What the hell was that?" Inu Yasha shouted as she got up. "You decide to explore some duck ancestry when you got up there?"

There was a resounding thud and the sound of Inu Yasha yelping before she lifted her face up from the foam she'd been hoping to suffocate herself with. Sesshoumaru was crouching down on the edge, brow quirked with amusement.

"That was a most undignified screech," He informed her.

"Glad you find me so amusing," She muttered darkly as she got up. He helped her out before pulling her close and leaning down, his mouth close to her ear.

"I admit I find your earlier scream more attractive."

She had no problem zeroing in on exactly what he was talking about, if the blush rising up from behind the sports bra to her face was any indication.

"Why are you bringing that up now?" She hissed.

"Incentive. Perform the flip next time, and I will see to it you are rewarded for your efforts."

"I'm not going to-" She started.

"Without crossing your boundaries," He said before walking back to the others and giving her no chance to reply. Unsure what her boundaries were at this point, but warm to the toes from imagining where the edge of them could be, she walked back down to where she had started before.

"Don't screw it up this time!" Inu Yasha called, the words echoing in the empty gym. Ignoring his taunt, she broke into a run, focusing on the trampoline. When she hit it, she bounced higher into the air than she expected and leaned forward, bring her legs up high. When she landed, it was high on her back, the rest of her body following.

Briefly she wondered if he would count that, as she hadn't landed fully on her back. Looking up over the pit she saw a wicked smile blooming on his face before he nodded once.

"Again," He commanded imperiously.

Dear gods, how was she supposed to do one now?

Feeling weak kneed, she pulled herself up and back onto the concrete floor. She fumbled the next one, and nailed the one after that. As she continued on, her body growing more used to bending it in the air, she fumbled less and landed on her back as she was supposed to.

"Okay guys, time to head out, class starts in twenty minutes and we need to done with the locker rooms by then, it's teenagers."

She was sweaty and sore in places she hadn't been aware could get sore when she stumbled into the locker room and grabbed her clothes.

"You grab a shower," Kouga said, tossing her a towel. "We're fine, we didn't do anything. And the clothes are yours, bring 'em with you from now on."

She nodded wearily before walking into the shower room and dropping her clothes in one corner and walked to the shower head at the furthest end in the corner. Draping her towel over the knobs of the one next to it, she turned the hot water on and waited. Within seconds the water was blisteringly hot and she turned the knob for the cold. Once satisfied with the temperature she stepped under the water, groaning as it hit sore muscles and coursed over her skin.

There wasn't any soap, so she did her best to wash away the sticky feeling of the sweat by hand, trying to hurry. When she finished, she promised herself a long soak in the bath at home before pulling her towel and drying her hair.

When she turned to move for her clothes, she almost dropped the towel and instead jerked it open in front of her to hide her body. Sesshoumaru stood, leaning against the wall, smiling indolently.

"What are you doing in here?" She hissed, super aware that everything echoed against the tile walls. He said nothing as she wrapped the towel around herself modestly before walking towards him, determined to get her clothes and kick him out. Instead, he grabbed her arm and spun, pushing her against the wall.

"Your reward," He reminded her, breath hot on her neck before he began kissing it.

Her mind blanked curiously as he nipped and licked the sensitive flesh, his hand going to her own not even registering until she felt the towel spread open.

"Boundaries," She started.

"I will touch nothing but your hand," He promised before kissing her. Despite the force of his kiss, she couldn't help but feel his hand guiding hers. He put it on her stomach, then moved it higher, over her ribcage before following the curve of her, then higher still.

He kept his word, positioning his hand so that it touched nothing as she shivered and moaned when she brushed against a particularly sensitive spot. The force of his hand increased, and she unabashedly lost herself to sensation.

The whole shower smelled of their intimacy, and a single thread of restraint held him in check as he kissed her. Guiding her, seeing her in an open place was almost too much, and he questioned the wisdom of his impulsive decision. Feeling like his blood was on fire, he savored the scent, the sweetness of her as he showed her how to pleasure herself. Dark satisfaction escaped in a purely bestial sound when her hips started jerking uncontrollably. Capturing her mouth again, he trapped the scream as it came out.

When he finally pulled away, she was dazed and gasping in deep lungfuls of air. He moved back and her eyes met his. Very deliberately he licked his fingers clean and leaned down to kiss her one more time.

"Best hurry, the students will begin arriving any minute."

When it finally registered she was tripping over herself to pull her clothes on, completely ignoring his presence. When she finished she threw the towel at him and walked into the locker room to put on her shoes. As she was tying the first one up, two teenagers strolled into the locker room, pausing when they saw the pair of adults.

"Damnit," Kagome cursed, not even bothering to untie the other one before shoving her foot in it and stomping out of the room, a smirking Sesshoumaru following. Once they were out she headed straight for the doors and burst out of the gym like she was escaping prison.

"What took you so long?" Inu Yasha whined from the hood of Kouga's car. "Fucking forever, as always."

"I'm a girl," Kagome snapped heatedly as she waited for the passenger door to be unlocked.

"Hey, you guys hungry?" Kouga shouted as she slid in. "Meet us at the normal spot," He said as she was slamming the door closed.

The car was eerily silent as Sesshoumaru drove out of the parking lot, and she crossed her arms under her chest, staring resolutely ahead.

"If I made you uncomfortable, you have my apologies."

"They walked in less than three minutes later!" She exploded. "We could have been seen!"

"And you felt nothing from the risk?" He countered.

How was she supposed to answer that? Denying it would be a lie, because the risk of being seen, of being caught had only compounded her pleasure. But admitting it would mean she was being childish about it.

"I was listening for the sound of footsteps," He informed her after several minutes of tense silence. "I would not have let you been seen like that."

"You saw me like that," She muttered petulantly, still sullen despite his admission.

"If you would prefer I not, I will avoid doing so in the future." The statement was quipped and had an edge to it, and she wasn't sure if she felt bad or like gloating. Settling for feeling just a little bit guilty, she groaned and leaned back to stare at the sagging upholstery of the ceiling.

"I'm sorry I spazzed. It's just new to me," She apologized. "I enjoyed it, before I remembered kids were due to arrive."

"I will take care to avoid rewarding you when others are expected to arrive," He smirked, and the tension between them was gone.

"You are so smug," She accused. He didn't deny it.

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry this took so long to post. Part of it was that a few chapters down the way, this devolved into sex eveywhere. And I don't want that for this. This was too much for me to be honest, but your reviews and wishes for a new update made me want to do _something_. I might come back later and do a rewrite.

Your reviews have all been very special to me, and I'm truly sorry if this chapter is not up to par. My muses haven't been cooperating with this story for some reason. I worry that it's because of the season. Late fall and winter are awful times for spinning, at least for me. Inspiration can be hard to find sometimes. Also, I'm sorry I haven't been responding as I should. My mother's surgery recently went through, and there were some complications with her healing, and my dog got parvo. Between that and the holiday season, I've been bushed. Hopefully things will go back to normal soon.

CreARTive, thank you again for the well wishes. Mom's doing a lot better now, and there is no cancer (yay!). That being said, I would love to be able to contact you outside of this story, but you never leave an email or anything. I do hope I can help inspire you more in the future, but I doubt this chapter really did much at all. I'm working on the next one now, revamping it into something better (I hope).


	13. Silent Fire

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 13: Silent Fire**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha. I lovee my fandom though.**

**Warnings:** Limey for mention of sex acts, but no sex acts.

CreARTive, my deviantart account is now linked to on my profile page here on FF. (I don't art, so I have nothing posted, but I do have an account lol). I would love to see some of your art.

Everyone, thank you so much for your reviews!

* * *

The gig the next night was a nightmare. Sango found a rip in her costume and Koharu was over half an hour late. Miroku had a headache that was making it hard to focus and while Sesshoumaru wandered around in nothing but traditional hakama she couldn't focus at all. Inu Yasha was grumbling about something, snapping at everyone that even spoke to him and Kouga was smiling smugly, content that he wouldn't be performing.

The only thing going right was her green compound. She'd tested it with Sesshoumaru earlier in the day and he'd given the okay to use it that night. Everyone else knew what to expect, but none of them had seen it. Stomach in knots as everyone hurried to finish getting ready, she chanced a peek outside, feeling even more anxious when she saw the people scattered on blankets in a rough semicircle waiting.

"Kagome, you remember the change?" Sesshoumaru asked. She nodded, moving to the side as Miroku and Kohaku ran out. They'd changed the order of the routines, moving her and Sesshoumaru's fight to the end.

Any sense of dissonance vanished as the show moved on. When Sesshoumaru moved to battle Inu Yasha, she grabbed her fans from their basins and expertly flicked them. Inu Yasha fell and his sword puttered out, smoking in the darkness. Taking her signal to enter, she ran from the tent and lunged at Sesshoumaru, a war cry echoing through the night.

For half a minute they circled an lunged at one another before she brought two fans up in a defensive position over her face as his sword, the flames a bright, true red, touched them.

Green fire raced down the length of the kevlar, adding a new noise to the sound of the fire on his blade. The sound was like a flag being blown by a strong wind as they continued their routine, varied only a little by the addition of the second fan. All of her tension seeped away as they moved through the steps of their mock battle.

He spun in the air almost perfectly horizontal like a corkscrew, a new move added to lead into the second half of her part. Perfectly timed, he circled her, the red flames going out to lead a trail of smoke ringing her body. The sword dropped and she began dancing around him.

In the last several weeks her body had changed drastically, and the memory of her intimacies with Sesshoumaru spurred her on. Determined to be the seductive spirit, the woman so unlike her normal self, she remembered how he had held her, moved her, and let memories guide her body. Now she was more than a student, even more than a fire dancer. Feeling strangely feminine, seductive, she let her body and the fire around her combine to create a spell. Not for the people watching them,but for Sesshoumaru. Moving lithely, she cut him off when he tried to move off the field, giving the impression to the crowd that he was trapped. Each step brought her a little closer, and the green fire reflected off of his skin, casting him in an eerie glow.

She was less than two feet away when she snapped her fans shut, creating two small points of light before proceeding to hover it over his skin. Daring not to fumble, knowing how much trust he was placing in her, she moved with a practiced hand and brought them up on either side of his shoulders and snapped the fans open, keeping her hips moving the whole time as Miroku had shown her.

The green flames hid his face from onlookers, but not from her. His eyes reflected the flame and his expression was hungry as she brought the fans back to her and twisted and turned, trying to keep her movements sensual. Feeling as if she was being devoured by his eyes helped, and when the flames began to dim she slammed the fans shut again, spinning on the front balls of her feet until they went out and trailed smoke. Surrounded by a gray haze, she dropped to the ground, her dance over.

Applause echoed through the night and she stood and walked away, having been instructed to never bow. Sesshoumaru followed her in to the tent, where everyone stood waiting, slackjawed.

"That was amazing," Sango breathed.

"Thank you, the green took forever-" Kagome started.

"No, I mean, that was amazing too, but your dancing. Just, wow," Sango added lamely. Everyone nodded in response, making her flush heavily.

"Thanks," She murmured quietly before everyone broke apart and began getting their things together. The men exited to let Sango and Kagome change, and that was when Kagome ventured her question.

"Sango, I know this is really last minute, but can we hang out tonight, you know, girl time?" Kagome asked.

"Sure. Anything wrong?" Sango asked, the question muffled as she pulled on her shirt.

"Not wrong," Kagome admitted. "I just, this is definitely just girl talk."

"Oh, I think I can guess," Sango chuckled as she hopped, pulling on her shorts. "I'll let Miroku know I need the car tonight, I'll ask Kouga or Sesshoumaru drop the others off."

They both cleaned their faces and exited the tent. The crowd had dispersed, their show apparently being the end of their picnic. Sango began talking to Kouga and the man nodded an agreement after a moment. Taking that as a signal to talk to Sesshoumaru, she stopped him before he went into the tent.

"Sango and I are going to go have some dinner," She hedged shyly. He caught on immediately and gave an approving nod.

"I will see you tomorrow," He promised before stepping into the tent, the flap closing behind him. When Kagome joined Sango, the woman was explaining the change of plans to her boyfriend, who also nodded knowingly.

"You ladies spend too much time with men. Go have some girl time," He commanded, pointing them at Sango's car. "We'll take care of everything here."

Waving and calling out their goodbyes they got into Sango's car, which once again was a mess. Before they'd even pulled away from the group Sango was asking the question Kagome feared.

"Did you guys take the big step?"

Kagome was quiet for several minutes, trying to formulate an answer.

"I'm not sure," She admitted, earning a choking sound from the driver.

"How can you not be sure?" Sango demanded as she pulled from the dirt road onto a paved one.

"We did, stuff, but not, I mean- Kami, I don't know what I mean," Kagome groaned, covering her face with both hands, hoping some of the cold in her fingers would seep into her cheeks.

"Did you two have sex?" Sango asked bluntly.

"Define sex," Kagome bit out, more impatient with herself than anything.

"Umm, well, there's oral sex-"

"No."

"Normal, penis in the vagina sex?"

"No."

"He didn't talk you into anal did he?" Sango asked, aghast.

"NO!" Kagome shouted, surprising them both, the wheel jerking in Sango's hand abruptly. She righted the car before continuing.

"Okay, what happened?" She asked slowly.

"The first time we were just kissing," Kagome explained. At Sango's nod she continued. "I was on top of him, and we were moving against each other and I, well, you know."

"You came? From dry humping?"

Somehow the way she said it made it sound so raunchy, something Kagome was not at all comfortable with at the moment.

"Is that bad?" Kagome ventured.

"No, it's just, I mean, unusual I guess. Was it your first?"

"Yeah."

"Well, maybe it's not that unusual then. My first was self induced, so I mean, it could be similar," Sango reasoned. "But you said the first time?"

"Then he umm, caught me in the shower."

"And?"

"I reminded him that I couldn't do anything really advanced yet, you know? He promised not to touch me, so he put his hand over mine and sort of guided it."

Sango was quiet for a minute, eyes on the road. Nervous tension began churning in her stomach as she waited for a reply from her friend.

"When did this stuff happen?" Sango finally asked.

"Yesterday," Kagome admitted in a small voice.

"Yesterday. _YESTERDAY?_" Sango shouted, swerving again. "You mean the shower at the gym?"

"It was a reward," Kagome defended hotly.

"For what?"

"Doing a flip in the air," Kagome groaned, feeling like an idiot for even bringing it up. But Sango's hearty laugh made her feel slightly better as the other woman shook her head and smiled.

"If Miroku gave me incentives like that I'd memorize routines faster," She joked. "So you guys have essentially moved into the foreplay arena of things. Pretty quickly too, although I can't really say anything. Miroku and I are both terrible at waiting," She hinted. "Is he pressuring you?"

"No, not really. He's stayed inside the boundaries."

"You don't sound terribly thrilled about that," Came the dry observation.

"I don't know what the boundaries are. I mean, he's seen me naked, and touched me there, kind of."

"It's foreplay," Sango shrugged. "Which can go on until you're comfortable with going further. The only rules are the ones you set." The way she said it made it sound normal and simple, enticing a note of envy in Kagome. She didn't feel normal, and the situation didn't feel simple in the least.

"What about a guy's rules?" Kagome inquired.

"I don't think they have any," Sango quipped dryly as she parked. They got out and walked into the all night diner, taking a booth in the far corner. Once a waitress had taken their drink orders they contemplated the menu for brief seconds before deciding their orders. Drinks arrived, burgers were ordered, and Kagome stirred hers with a straw nervously.

"I don't know what to do," She finally blurted. Sango regarded her carefully before responding.

"Do what exactly?"

"I don't know if I'm ready to go all the way with him yet," Kagome admitted. "When he did those things, I wanted to keep going, but I was scared. I have no idea what to do or say. I mean, I feel like an idiot when it's over, because I'm just standing there like some clueless kid."

"That's pretty normal," Sango admitted. "Miroku wasn't my first. But I was really nervous before I lost it. And everyone is different after. Some people cuddle, some get up and go about their business. Kuranosuke used to get really hyper after, wanting to go and so something or clean."

Kagome couldn't imagine cleaning after such an experience. The first experience had left her feeling warm and drained. That combined with the warmth of Sesshoumaru beneath her had been enough to pull her into a lazy doze despite the strange position they'd been in.

"How long were you and Miroku together before doing it?"

"A few weeks," Sango admitted, blushing hotly. "Inu Yasha introduced us, for the troupe. At first I thought he was just a pervert, so I ignored him. But eventually I started developing feelings for him, despite his tendency to play grab ass with other women. So we started seeing each other. Nothing obvious at first. We wanted to see how it would go before telling the troupe, in case it didn't work out. After the accident it was hard to hold back. Then Inu Yasha slept with Kouga's girlfriend and we had to hide it from Sesshoumaru."

"Am I going too fast?" Kagome finally asked as the waitress sat the plates down and walked off.

"You're the only one that can decide that," Sango shrugged before taking a huge bite of her hamburger and groaning appreciatively. Kagome chewed in thoughtful silence before setting the burger down.

"Nothing's different, except for the kissing and-stuff."

"Do you want it to be?"

Kagome thought about it for several minutes, both of them eating in relative quiet. Before she and Sesshoumaru had agreed to do whatever it was they were doing, they'd been friends, at least she liked to think so. Nothing had really changed besides the added sexual tension. Granted, she didn't expect him to suddenly become warm and fuzzy, she wasn't sure if she wanted that from him.

"We're still friends," She admitted.

"That's how it should be though," Sango reasoned. "The man I gave my virginity wasn't my friend. We met at school and were deliriously in love, or so I thought. Constant cuddling and movies, hanging out and working on schoolwork, that sort of thing. Really juvenile, puppy love. We always said I love you, but we never really said anything else. It worked for about a year until I realized we had absolutely nothing in common. I love you was just our way of filling uncomfortable silences."

"So you're saying it's good things haven't changed?" Kagome asked, earning a sage nod from the other woman.

"Would you rather kiss and cuddle someone that you can talk to, or someone that just does the sweet things because it's what people in relationships are supposed to do?"

Kagome saw her point, and nodded, beginning to understand. Not a fan of soaps or romantic movies and books, she really had no clue what relationships were supposed to be like. Initially the lack of change in their relationship had worried her, but she was beginning to wonder if she was just being unrealistic. Not only that, but childish too. The idea of losing Sesshoumaru as a friend to fall into an empty relationship like the one Sango described was as bad as him hating her, at least in her opinion.

"I'd rather we just be friends than lose it for some kisses," Kagome admitted, although it was with noticeable reluctance, earning a grin from across the table.

"Which is good. Sesshoumaru, well, he's Sesshoumaru. And while you guys have been making googoo eyes at each other since you first met, you've only just changed the nature of your relationship. Don't worry about taking it so quickly. It's okay to take time and acclimate. Sesshoumaru's patient, and if he's not, then he's not worth spending the time on."

"It just feels like longer," Kagome sighed before finishing her burger off, not even remembering what it had tasted like.

"It can when you've been hanging out a lot before deciding to make it more official."

The waitress came and took their plates, and Sango ordered two sundaes with a smile before turning back to Kagome, grinning.

"So what was he like?"

What do you mean?" Kagome asked, confused.

"I just have a hard time imagining Sesshoumaru lost in the throes of passion," Sango laughed. "He's always so serious and in control."

Kagome flushed brightly, remembering how in control he had been both times, and that before Sango's comment she had attributed it to her lack of experience. Now she wasn't so sure though.

"He was still in control," Came the shy confession. "I thought he was showing me, I mean, you know."

"I don't think I do." It was said in a lightly teasing tone, but Kagome took it in all seriousness.

"He told me, like he knew I was about to orgasm, and just told me to let it happen."

The sundaes almost tipped on the table as the waitress sat them down, her face bright red as she made her apologies and rushed away. Cups clattered loudly as the teenager tried stacking them only to fail. The resounding noise of plastic cups hitting the tile floor echoed heavily, earning a shout from the kitchen area. Acutely embarrassed and feeling like the shout was directed at her, she sunk lower into the booth, trying to avoid invisible eyes staring down at her disapprovingly.

"Oh, dominant in bed too huh?" Sango laughed, gaze leaving the waitress to come back and rest on her. When her statement was met with several oblique blinks Sango stopped laughing.

"Have you looked into sex at all before?"

"No. I mean, I figured it was something saved for marriage," Kagome defended hotly, still embarrassed by the waitress's reaction.

"You have to date to get married," Sango pointed out. "And sometimes dating can lead to sex. You've never been curious?"

Kagome shrugged again, feeling abnormal and childish once more.

"Look, it's okay. Some people have different priorities. Your mom doesn't seem the type to encourage dating," Sango pointed out dryly, making her feel better. "So I'm pretty sure she didn't give you the sex talk either. I learned from girlfriends mostly, and trial and error, only earlier than you did. You're just a late bloomer."

"I'm sick of being a late bloomer," Kagome growled, growing frustrated with herself. "I feel so silly compared to everyone else."

"Don't be," Sango reassured. "It's not a bad thing. Besides, you're actually going about it better than I thought you would. Miroku was worried this was all just a rebellion against your mom."

"I wouldn't do that just to get back at my mom!" The declaration rang through the almost empty diner, drawing the attention of the other patrons and the crimson faced teenager behind the counter, who looked ready to run out of the door at this point. Groaning Kagome slumped and let her head thump onto the table.

"Hey, I know. Miroku just likes to worry about everything."

"I'm an idiot," Kagome bit out.

"No, just inexperienced. Don't let it bother you and don't let it be the reason for going past your own limits is all I'm trying to say. If Sesshoumaru isn't pushing you to do anything you don't want to do, then why are you worried?"

"Because-" Kagome started, then stopped, remembering her supposed breach of etiquette by thanking him. "I told him thank you," She blurted, horrified. A plate dropped and broke on the floor. Kagome said a small prayer for the girl that was obviously listening and silently promised to leave a generous tip.

"And that's bad?"

"Isn't it?"

"I do it all the time," Sango laughed. "Miroku loves it. Makes him feel manly or something, like a job well done. Sometimes I think men are convinced dismantling a bomb would be easier."

"Sesshoumaru said people don't normally say thank you."

"Maybe not the women he's been with," Came the swift rebuttal. Kagome nodded, eyes widening as she took another bite of her sundae. "After Miroku's done and I'm all glowy and warm, I kiss him on the lips or his jaw and just whisper thank you. According to him, it's like being given one of the national treasures."

"So I might have done it wrong?"

"How did you do it?"

"After, when we were leaving the parking garage-"

"Parking-Do I even want to ask?"

"We needed to talk about-something and ended up making out and, well. It happened, okay?"

"If you're not careful he's going to take your virginity in a cemetery or something," Sango snorted.

"A cemetery? Why would anyone do it there? That sounds creepy." Another involuntary shudder ran down her spine as she thought about it, the image laced with cobwebs, spiders and snakes, and she said so. Sango found her reaction hilarious if her uncontrollable laughter was anything to go by.

"It was a metaphor. Have you guys done anything in the privacy of a room?"

The only bedroom they'd been in together at the same time had been at Sango's apartment. She wasn't even sure what his looked like, and she knew he'd never been in hers, probably never would be if her mother had anything to say about it. The obvious answer going unspoken, Sango ran a hand through her hair and leaned back.

"Try making out in a bedroom, or even his living room, something, before going any further. See what it's like when it's just the two of you in a private place."

"Thanks Sango," Kagome finally said, finishing her sundae off. "I know I can be really frustrating-"

"No, you're not," Sango broke in. "Frustrating is trying to be friends with females that are either devoid of any personality or jealous as hell. Kouga and Inu Yasha have crappy taste. You're fun to talk to, and this isn't that bad, it's what girlfriends are for. It's just weird, imagining Sesshoumaru making out with someone, much less having sex."

Kagome couldn't imagine him having sex in anything but an abstract way. Most of her prior illusions involving candles, rose petals and softly playing music had been dispelled by the incident in the shower, although she was finding she wasn't adverse to the change. Just disoriented as her perceptions shifted.

"You were the one that kept trying to get us together."

"Yeah, but I don't think anyone thought past that. I mean, you two were obviously attracted to one another, despite the differences."

"We're not that different," Kagome retorted defensively, earning nothing but an incredulous stare.

"You're as different as the sun and moon," Sango declared confidently. "Which also isn't bad. If you were both the same, you'd get bored of each other."

"Dating makes no sense."

"Not supposed to," Sango said, relaxing fully into the chair. "If it did, it would be easy and everyone would be happy. You're used to textbooks and absolutes. With people there aren't any, ever."

"That's comforting," Kagome muttered dryly.

"It should be. It means life will never get too boring. Speaking of people though, how's it going with your mom?"

Kagome hesitated to speak on that subject. It seemed as the rest of her life began taking off, her relationship with her mother spiraled deeper and deeper into silence. Now that she had learned what she'd eschewed to please her mother she couldn't help but be angry at the woman. Nodoka's continued silence only served to agitate a resentment that was dangerously close to the surface, threatening to burst out at any second.

"She's still not talking to me," Kagome admitted. "I knew she'd be angry, but she's acting like I killed someone."

"Maybe it's her way of coping with the fact that you finally got out of the nest on your own."

"I'm still her daughter!"

"I know that, and you know that. But when she wasn't looking you became someone different. Even I can tell the difference, and I haven''t known you that long."

"She should be happy that I'm happy though. I mean, it's not like I dropped out and married someone like she was scared I would. I'm still getting good grades and I even settled on a major. I have a better grasp on who I am now."

"And she doesn't," Sango reasoned as she threw some money on the table and got up. Kagome pulled a few banknotes from her wallet and added to it before following her out, contemplating the simple statement her friend had made.

"Maybe if you try to include her somehow. You know the new promo shoot? Bring her to that and let her see how happy this makes you."

Sango made it sound incredibly easy, and Kagome knew it wasn't, couldn't be. Even talking to her mother was impossible. How was she supposed to get her out to the photo shoot? Kagome voiced her concerns and Sango shrugged idly.

"Fine, then after Shippou finishes taking photos, we'll come to her, and she won't have a choice."

"She could stay inside."

"Somehow I doubt that."

Kagome wasn't sure if she found Sango's easy assurance comforting or not.

* * *

He waited for the door to open, almost giving into the urge to tap his foot impatiently. Not for the first time he wondered why he was doing this, and reminded himself that it was better to look like a deviant than a careless slob. When the door opened, Koharu was smiling and already had gloves on.

"Come on!" Koharu laughed. "You know, I didn't quite believe you when you called and said you wanted a touch up. I thought you were too angry to let me anywhere near your hair again," She admitted. "Inu Yasha is still paranoid when I do his makeup."

He let her chatter as they went to the bathroom and asked him to sit on the commode. Immediately she swooped down, hands full of clips that swiftly separated his long hair into thick chunks. She made cooing noises, something that still disturbed him, as she commented about how soft his hair was and how amazing her conditioning formula was. He smelled the bitter, chemical smell of the bleach as she began applying it.

"So I noticed Sango and Miroku being really lovey dovey," She finally stated, leaving it to hang in the air like a question as she squirted another long line of bleach along his roots and brushed it into the black hair.

He had tuned her out and said nothing, but when she cleared her throat he came to.

"Hnn."

"You always do that. Did you rescind the rule about troupe members dating? Sango and Miroku are acting really sweet on each other."

"They are in a relationship," He said plainly, making an angry sound when she jerked a separated chunk of hair. Whether it was from shock or anger he couldn't tell, but either way her reaction was unwarranted and unwanted.

"I thought you had a rule about troupe members dating," She huffed angrily, relaxing her hold and going back to working the bleach into his hair.

He realized that he should have brought Kagome for this, but it was an off day for him and she had a class. For some reason he had wanted to have it done before he picked her up for practice, and irrational, inexplicable urge he'd given into the night before when he'd called the troupe's makeup artist. Clearly he must have been tired for even thinking it, much less going through with it.

Stuck, he considered not answering. Unlike most people, tense silences did not bother him. However, unlike other people, he was at the mercy of a woman that could wreck his hair and force him to shave his head, giving him little room to maneuver.

"Kagome and I are-" What? Boyfriend and girlfriend? The titles sounded childish and juvenile. But they weren't lovers yet either, although kami knew at this point he was looking forward to the moment that changed. "Seeing each other." There, that covered it easily, and betrayed nothing of his own growing hunger. "Allowing Miroku and Sango to admit their feelings."

Because he wasn't going to tell her that they'd been seeing each other for at least a few months without her knowing. While he was used to administering hard truths, he was not going to do so to his own detriment. The diminutive onna standing over him made a small noise and he prayed she didn't cry. When several minutes later there was a shaky inhale, she muttered a small congratulations and continued her work in silence. When she finished, she crouched in front of him, frowning.

"Your eyebrows are too dark."

Oh, that was going too far-

"It looks kind of ridiculous."

Her words would not get to him, and bleaching his eyebrows was a step he was not willing to take. He could look ridiculous to others, because other people's opinions didn't matter. His eyebrows were going to remain untouched by the vile mixture he was forcing on his hair.

"You look like you're wearing a wig. Granted, a good one, but doing your eyebrows will make it look natural."

What was natural about a japanese man with white hair and eyebrows before old age?

"Just let me do it, if you don't like it, I know I can afford enough henna and indigo to redo them," She pleaded, neglecting to mention how long it would take for the powders to arrive from offline. "Please?"

He inclined his head, giving in gracefully. Not like he had much choice, her fingers were already coated in the white concoction and hovering near his face. The jibe about looking like he was wearing a wig stuck, and if anything else, his eyebrows would grow back to normal fairly quickly if it ended up looking ridiculous.

She quickly applied the bleach to his eyebrows and surprised him by taping foil down over them.

"I'll go get some lunch, okay? I'll be back before the hour is up. Do whatever," She offered before heading out of the bathroom. Surprised she'd leave him in her home, alone, he chalked it up to her need to go somewhere and vent away from him, which was just fine. Ignoring the mirror as he left the bathroom, he headed straight for the dining room table and opened his laptop, eager to check an email.

Logging onto the building's wifi, he opened his inbox, pleased when he saw a response telling him that he was welcome any time he wished to come by. Checking for any inquiries from possible customers before closing out his inbox, he opened excel and began going over the business numbers for the past eight months.

Since Kagome had joined, there had been a swift upturn in their profits, although her timing had more to do with it than anything. In the spring people wanted more and more outdoor entertainments. Word of mouth was doing half of their promoting for them, and he briefly considered taking down some of his online advertisements to save money before eschewing the idea. The business itself was picking up, and with Kouga's funding, because the reckless spender loved to buy things for the troupe, there was little worry about using the profits to buy new equipment. In four more months it wouldn't matter, and he was certain that unless something catastrophic happened, the troupe would continue on that long.

Allowing himself a moment of hope, he contemplated a life beyond the rabbit hole he lived in, one where he was back in his father's good graces. Days he was not in school would be spent in the office learning the ins and outs of running a large corporation, things that school couldn't teach him. Numbers were all well and good, but in the bid for power and corporate domination a subtle touch was necessary, and though he already had a good grasp of the politics of business, he knew there was still more to learn.

There would be no fire, no performances, no more feeling like a clown forced to amuse others for money. Likewise, the troupe would dissolve, or become something else. Perhaps it would continue on without the presence of it's original owners. He could gift the entirety of it, name and all, to them to do with what they would.

It seemed an ideal gift, along with a generous sum to help them along, not that they would need it with Izayoi funding their schooling as she was. All of them would come out the better for having aided both himself and his halfbrother in their endeavor to get back in his father's good graces.

The only thing that was a question was Kagome. Her name hung like a question in the air, silent and soft. Once he regained his family name and moved back into higher circles, he would have to leave her behind, there was no question of that. One could put peacock feathers on a chicken, but it's nature was the same. There was no way she'd ever fit in with his people, being, as most would delicately phrase it, not quite up to the mark. A working class girl with a bright future certainly, but she lacked the two essential things required of anyone in his father's world. Money and pedigree.

Not to mention she would never survive a business dinner, or even those dubbed 'social gatherings' that were merely covers for talk of business and politics. Kagome was a horrible liar and even worse at subterfuge, both things being apparent staples of women in high society.

He shook his head, clearing it of such thoughts, There was no point in thinking like that. In four months he and Kagome would part ways, and that would be that. She had given her assurance that she didn't know what she wanted, but that for now she was comfortable just getting used to dating. It amounted to no harm no foul.

Koharu came back quite some time later, her eyes red and puffy. Giving nothing away as to her feelings, she checked his hair once before giving it another ten or fifteen minutes before dropping the paper bag on the table and heading for the bathroom, another plastic bag in hand. He ignored the food in favor of going through the multitude of photos Shippou had taken over the past several months, noticing for the first time a marked improvement in his technique.

Wondering if the new colors of the fire would throw him off or otherwise affect the photos negatively, he made a note to call and give the teenager to let him know there would be changes to the normal promotions.

Koharu came in and checked his hair again, announcing it ready before walking back into the bathroom. He followed and bent over the edge of the tub. She was not nearly as gentle as Kagome had been as she shampooed the bleach out, her nails scraping his scalp and fingers tugging at the sensitive locks. Resigning himself to his fate -a punishment for his impulsive decision- he kept silent and let her work. She had him turn around and lean over the tub while she removed the foil from his brows and gently washed the bleach out, careful not to get anything in his eyes.

When she made a satisfied noise and began drying his hair, he finally opened them, faintly curious as to how he looked. After she'd slathered his hair in her conditioning formula, she approached him with a q-tip and a little cup filled with a greyish substance that reeked of chemicals.

"What is that?" He bit out, shifting back when she dipped a qtip into the mess and brought it close to his face.

"Your eyebrows are stark white. They need to be a few shades darker than your hair, or it will look just as bad as the black. Stop being such a baby," She snapped impatiently, touching the swab to his eyebrow before he could protest. "Besides, it'll only be on for a few minutes anyway."

Apparently being the bearer of bad news did warrant punishment, or perhaps it was the fact that it had been his call to allow Sango and Miroku to be open about their relationship. That or she was just being surly on principal, because she was unhappy and felt the misery loved company. Instead of miserable, he was only faintly annoyed.

Instead of allowing him to leave the bathroom, she forced him to kneel next to the tub, knees beginning to protest the hard linoleum floor, on the grounds that she'd be washing the dye out of his eyebrows in a few minutes anyway. Ignoring the silence in favor of thoughts of Kagome, he began imagining a next encounter. After practice and an early dinner with the others, they would be relatively free to do as they pleased. If Inu Yasha was persuaded to stay away, he could think of a great many things that would please him, all of them staying neatly within the confines of her self imposed rules.

Koharu washed his eyebrows and once finished, gave a satisfied smile.

"Now you'll look natural. Maybe if Inu Yasha sees this he'll let me touch up his hair and fix his eyebrows."

Doubtful. The moron was still touchy about being anywhere near the girl. It was only because of their father that he hadn't shaved his head entirely and started over. However, any time his hair fell in his face he uttered a small curse and his pale eyes, another similarity to their father, would narrow hatefully.

She left him alone, telling him he had to keep the conditioner in for at least another half hour before washing it out and that he should apply it again the next day. Taking that as the dismissal it was, he wasn't shocked to see the dining area of the small apartment empty when he walked out, forgoing looking at his eyebrows for the moment, still strangely anxious about how they would look.

Using the time to finish a paper, he was surprised when he realized almost an hour had passed in complete and utter silence. Closing his laptop and going to the bathroom, he washed his hair out and dried it awkwardly, trying to get it mostly dry. By the time he finished he was running late to pick Kagome and Inu Yasha up, and he rushed out, phone in hand and thumb pounding out a text message. Closing the door with his foot, he didn't even think about saying goodbye.

Kagome responded that she too was running late, and that she'd meet him wherever he decided to park. Wondering what had caused her to send such a terse, abnormally misspelled text he tossed his things into the car and pealed out of the parking lot. When he finally parked he texted her again to let her know he was on the third level of the parking deck. Nothing came in return for over ten minutes, and he felt a flicker of worry, which was followed by an even stronger flicker of annoyance, mainly at himself for being worried.

When she finally did call, he intentionally waited for three rings to pass before opening the phone.

"Sorry," She sighed, sounding strangely subdued. "There was an accident and I was getting railed at by one of the lab techs while cleaning up the mess. I'm on my way now."

Railed at by one of the lab techs while cleaning up a mess. It sounded like she was working on something to do with her fire dyes, as she had dubbed them, and it had gone wrong. He made an affirmative noise before hanging up, feeling another flicker of worry, this time about her experiments. If something went wrong after the amount of work she put into making sure the formulas weren't volatile, then it was possible for her to come to serious harm, making his own incident look like child's play in comparison. He had endured a chemical fueled fire, but there had been no explosion or truly volatile combustion. His imagination, normally very much within his control, began bringing up images of ambulance gurneys and burned flesh.

For a moment he could smell it again, the acrid smell of his own arm burned so thoroughly the flesh had peeled away before he even understood what was going on. Pain shot up his limb and he reached for it, surprised when his hand clenched on empty air. Still the heat, the throbbing didn't stop, burning an arm that had been cut off months before. Sweat broke out on his brow and his back arced and he braced his feet against the floor in response to the excruciating jolts of pain coursing up the ghost arm and into the remainder of the real one.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome shouted, wrenching open his door. "What's wrong?"

Wisely she didn't touch him, although for a moment her hand had hovered over his shoulder. Trying to force the pain back into the dark recesses of his mind, he flinched again when another pulse of white hot agony shot through him. Nausea threatened and his field of vision narrowed, dimming drastically. Certain he could hear his own heart beating, for a moment he wished it would stop, the noise a crashing dissonance in his ears. His eyes closed almost in self defense, the pinpoint of light becoming too bright to bear.

"Inu Yasha, yeah. No, something's wrong with Sesshoumaru. We're on the third level of the parking deck. Hurry!"

On the other side of the pain consuming his whole left side he could feel himself being dragged out of the car and onto the smooth concrete. Immediately the cold began to seep into his skin, easing the burning somewhat.

"Sesshoumaru, tell me what's wrong," Kagome begged, voice thick with tears.

"He doesn't have a fever," Another voice broke in. Recognizing the timber and roughness as that of his half brother, he determinedly pushed the darkness behind his eyes away, opening them and blinking slowly. Two pairs of eyes were staring down at him, the blue ones worried and filled with tears, the pale hazel looking panicked and afraid.

"You back with us?" Inu Yasha asked, voice quavering strangely.

The concrete was blessedly cold and strangely comfortable if he looked past the indignity of his position in the first place.

"What happened?" Kagome whispered, hands finally moving to push his hair away from his face. He ignored the question and pulled himself up, trying to keep steady when he realized he had tried to use both arms, something he hadn't done since since waking up after the amputation. Wobbling precariously, he made a warning sound low in his throat when Inu Yasha moved to help. Once he was upright, he moved himself over to the car and leaned against it, shielded from view by the open car door.

"What happened? Did you have a seizure?" Inu Yasha demanded. "It looked like, I mean. Shit, I don't know what it looked like."

"I felt my arm," He bit out, voice hoarse. Angry with himself, he tried to clench his jaw, but when he did the bones and muscles screamed in protest from their earlier abuse. Car doors opening and closing mixed the the voices of other students, all of which seemed to be outside of the world, filtering in as white noise while Kagome and his half brother watched him carefully, waiting for him to speak again.

"I did some research about, I mean-" Kagome started, then faltered, looking embarrassed. "It's not abnormal to have ghost pains, or to feel it there sometimes."

He'd had ghost pains. Those he'd been able to force to the back of his mind and ignore. This had been something else, like reliving the whole incident. Even know there was a dull ache that refused to quiet, throbbing in time with his pulse.

"Do you need to go to a hospital?" Inu Yasha asked.

"No," He snapped, voice beginning to even out. Even the idea of a hospital was enough to force the dizziness back a little further, although the pain lingered.

"Then we'll get you home. Practice is out for now," Kagome ordered sternly, her tone brooking no room for argument as she got off of her knees and moved over to him, hand held out in offering. Ignoring it, he pushed back against the car and began standing, only to wobble precariously as another wave of heat flared up his not-there arm and dizziness made his vision swim.

"Inu Yasha, you drive." The command was dim and muffled, and for a moment he thought he'd said it until he realized Kagome was still talking and guiding him into the back seat. She slid in next to him and closed the door while Inu Yasha tossed their bags into the front passenger seat and started the car.

"I am fine," He bit out, angry that he'd let them swoop in and begin coddling him. Ignoring the rude noise his half brother made in favor of trying to ride out another wave of heat and an ache that felt bone deep. Next to him Kagome was making soothing noises, but didn't move to touch him. As Inu Yasha raced through traffic he felt every bump and pothole along the way, his body jolting unpleasantly.

Little by little the waves of pain receded and the feeling of having his arm back dissipated entirely. By the time they reached the apartment he no longer felt the effects of the episode at all, and the smell of burnt flesh was nothing more than a memory. However, he did feel tired. Exhausted, in fact, and didn't protest when Kagome accepted the apartment key from Inu Yasha and grabbed their bags. For once his dim witted half brother seemed to understand what he needed, saying he'd tell the others and that he'd call later to check up on them.

The elevator wasn't working, which seemed typical. Climbing the stairs seemed to take forever, Kagome as silent as he the entire time, only moving ahead of him when they reached the door so she could unlock it.

He thought about telling her to go to practice, but the determination that mixed with the worry in her eyes stopped him. He wasn't in the mood to argue, all he wanted to do was get under cold water and banish the lingering memory of that heat. Ignoring her completely, he went to the bathroom and closed the door behind him. It was a testament to his own break from reality that he didn't realize he'd stepped under the water fully clothed. Checking his pocket, he was relieved that he'd had the presence of mind to take out his keys and phone.

A knock sounded at the door and he heard it creak open, the swollen wood scraping against the frame.

"Are you alright?" She asked quietly, eyes wide. He hadn't closed the curtain all the way, and she could see his fully clothed state. Oblivious to his glare, she walked into the shower and stepped in, shivering lightly as her arms wrapped around his torso.

Time passed, he knew it by the puckering of his fingertips and the gradual soaking of her clothes, even though she wasn't under the shower head. Her arms tightened around him, and he couldn't tell if the noises she made were from the cold or tears, muffled as they were in his back. Only when they were both shivering so hard it felt like they were convulsing did the heat vanish completely, leaving them a sopping, silent mess.

She stepped out and returned with towels for both of them. He removed his shirt and dropped it in the base of the stall, the thudding noise it made echoing in the small room before he undid his pants and let them fall to the shower floor. Keeping on his boxers for modesty, he accepted the towel and began drying his face, pausing only when there were two more wet thuds. Looking down he saw recognized the dark blue and purple piles as her jeans and shirt.

When he'd finished patting himself, a halfhearted job at best, she led him from the shower and into the room opposite Inu Yasha's. Not caring that their hair was still soaking, or that their skin was damp and their underwear soaked, he allowed her to pull him down to the futon. The air chilled their skin even further, small shudders running through the both of them as they laid next to one another quietly.

Eventually her leg moved over his and she snuggled deeper into him, warmth beginning to bloom where her skin pressed against his. It was so unlike the burning of the memory that he relaxed into it, sought more of it. As if sensing his want, she threw half of her body over his and inhaled deeply before looking up into his eyes. Surprised that she looked as weary and emotionally rung out as he felt, he shifted enough to kiss her forehead before letting his head fall back onto the pillow.

Sleep followed the action almost immediately, pulling him down into the darkness.

* * *

This weeks chapter is brought to you by Cosmic Gate ft Sarah Mclachlan.


	14. Body Of Conflict

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 14: Body Of Conflict**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the rights to Inu Yasha or the song Body of Conflict by Cosmic Gate. (You should totally go listen to the song though)

**A Very Important Note:**

I'd like to take a moment to thank those that have been following this story. There have been some good reviews, and bad. I've been flamed (no pun intended) and I've been told that I'm moving away from what this story is about, or that it's not enough about romance etc. And I'd like to thank you all for your thoughts. Even those that have told me that this story is going in a direction they don't like have generally been polite and enthusiastic, and I do appreciate it. But there's a hard truth to this. Even _I_ don't get to decide how this goes, and I will _not_ force it some place it doesn't want to go.

This story has brought many people into my life via online. It's been wonderful. But I don't work for you guys. I write this because I enjoy it. So please, don't suck the joy out of it for me by telling me what this is, isn't, will be or should be. If you don't like what's going on with this story, don't read it. It really is that simple. Thank you.

* * *

When he woke, it was nighttime, although the lights from outside filtered in through the shades and across the futon. At some point she'd pulled a blanket over them, and it had tangled between their legs, making it impossible to move without shifting her.

"You're awake," She said quietly into the darkness.

"Hnn."

She didn't mention what happened, but she did sit up and lean against the wall, dark smudges beneath her eyes standing out like bruises. Wondering if she'd slept at all, he pulled himself up in the bed, feeling awkward knowing she'd seen him during such a weak moment.

"Are you hungry?" She asked. He shook his head, knowing she would go grab something if he said yes. At the moment she looked ready to fall over.

"Why didn't you sleep?" He finally asked.

"I was worried you'd dream about it, and I wanted to be able to wake you up in case," She offered, voice laced with exhaustion. Suddenly he remembered her statement before she'd gotten off of the phone, about the mess in the lab, the images it had triggered.

"What happened today, in the lab?" He was almost afraid to ask at this point.

"I went into klutz mode and managed to break a buchner funnel and almost a complete set of test tubes." She was quiet for a moment, eyes narrowing when the tension seeped from his shoulders. "Is that what set this off? Did thinking about some sort of lab accident remind you of-" She stopped there, seeing him tense again.

"It's nothing," He replied stonily, moving to stand. Her hand went to his shoulder, stopping him. Given that she'd stayed awake to watch him to her own detriment, he allowed it.

"It's not nothing. I'm not going to force you to talk about it, but if you want to, I'm here."

Readying to tell her that it was a non issue and wouldn't be happening again, he stopped, knowing she probably wouldn't believe him. Instead, he pulled her back down to the bed effortlessly, pleased that she didn't resist. He could feel her stifling a yawn, her chest expanding against his and then relaxing away again.

"Sleep," He commanded gently. Watching her put up a valiant effort to stay awake, it came as no surprise that she lost it, completely asleep within minutes. Her body began curling, her knees pulling up to her stomach. Unconsciously she burrowed deeper into his warmth, snuggling against him and mumbling something incoherent as her fingers sought out his now dry hair, tangling into it.

Curling around her, he imagined he was protecting her. From what he wasn't entirely sure, but it was enough as he watched her fall into a deeper sleep, the tension seeping from her face. Tightening his hold on her, he allowed himself to drift off.

* * *

A phone was ringing, it's annoyingly bright chirping noise marking it as hers. Reaching out blindly, she remembered where she was. Realizing that the bed was empty, she crawled to the small nightstand where her phone was perched and grabbed it, looking at the number on the caller id before flipping it open.

"Hello," She mumbled.

"Hey, is everything alright?" Inu Yasha's concerned voice asked, softer than normal.

"Yeah, it's alright."

"Okay, you just never called back and-"

"He fell asleep and then I fell asleep later. I stayed here last night. He's up now, I'm not sure where he's at though. I was careless about how I worded an accident at the lab yesterday and I think it triggered something," She sighed, pulling herself up. "But he seemed okay before I went to sleep."

There was a relieved sigh at the other end of the line.

"Good. I crashed on Kouga's couch last night. Think it's okay for me to come back?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" Kagome asked, bewildered.

"He was remembering the accident, I mean, I'm kind of the reason-"

"No, Naraku is the reason it happened. Don't blame yourself for what someone else did," She snapped, immediately regretting her tone. The events of the previous afternoon still floated in her head, detached from anything else, as if it had been a movie she'd watched instead of taken part in.

"Alright. I'll pick up some breakfast on the way."

"As long as it's not ramen," She grumped, trying to sound good natured and succeeding. Inu Yasha laughed weakly and said goodbye before hanging up. Wanting to get dressed before he got there, she pulled the blanket around herself and walked into the hall, listening for any sounds of life. When there was nothing, she walked to the bathroom, praying her clothes were dry. Seeing them hung over the curtain rod, she was disappointed to find them still wet, and she was fairly certain Sesshoumaru wasn't hiding a dryer somewhere in the apartment.

"You may borrow some of mine," His rumbled from behind her, making her jump and trip over the tangle of the blanket. He caught her neatly and helped her right herself before moving back. Suddenly feeling shy, she murmured a small thank you before following him back to his room.

The day before she'd been focused entirely on him, so the details of his bedroom escaped her. There was a small closet and a dresser that had seen better days, and a small bookshelf holding more martial arts manuals and some of his school textbooks. He slid open the closet door and pulled out a pair of linen pants with a drawstring and tossed them on the dresser before opening the dresser and pulling out one of his plain white cotton shirts and placing it on top of it. As he was passing her to leave the room her hand darted out and grabbed a hold of his shirt, feeling nervous.

"Are you angry?" She asked, knowing he'd understand. He shook his head, although his expression was troubled. Letting him pull away, she closed the door behind her and put the blanket on the bed as straight as she could, smoothing it out. Next she took off her bra and panties, briefly wishing for a real shower. Seeing no reason why she couldn't she looked around for something smaller than the blanket to wrap around herself and saw a towel on top of the hamper. Figuring she still felt slightly grimy from sleeping in her underwear, she wrapped it around herself and took the clothes with her into the hall, grabbing a clean towel from the linen closet on the way.

There was a rustling noise in the direction of the kitchen, and she hoped Sesshoumaru wouldn't mind her grabbing a quick shower before Inu Yasha arrived. When she opened the door she stopped mid step, eyes widening.

He'd seen her naked, at least mostly. He'd seen her in her underwear and in a towel. The least she'd seen him in was boxers. She knew about the differences between men and women, but unable to peel her eyes away from an equally startled Sesshoumaru, what had been theoretical and vague suddenly became very real.

Suddenly aware of where her gaze had been very obviously directed, she brought her eyes level with his, cheeks burning bright enough that she could swear she saw the glow.

"I'm sorry, I was just going to take a shower before-before-" She stopped, knowing she was going to say 'before' again, and didn't want to sound like a broken record. Stepping back into the hallway, the door was halfway closed when his hand stopped it, his tall form suddenly looming in front of her. Wordlessly he took her hand and led her into the bathroom.

Doing her best to look at anything but him, she started counting the tiles in the ceiling as the shower hissed to life. Keeping her gaze directed at his chest when she felt his hand tugging the clothes and towel from her death grip on them, he sat them on the sink and waited patiently. When she didn't make a move to drop the towel wrapped around her chest, he reached to her hand and gently tugged on it, pulling her closer.

"Trust," He murmured. Inhaling shakily, she nodded and let her arms relax. The towel dropped and warm air rushed to meet her skin. Obeying his silent command to step into the shower, she shuddered when he followed, the stall feeling as if it had shrunk in size as he pulled the curtain closed. Desperate for any distraction, she stepped under the warm water and let it soak her hair. When his arm came around her, hand resting on her stomach gently, she almost jumped out of her skin. His front was pressed to her back, and it felt beyond intimate as the water sluiced over their forms.

Unable to help her mind focusing in on what she felt, specifically certain parts she felt pressing against her bottom, burning her. When he pulled away there was both a sense relief and loss as she heard a bottle open and the rude sound of something being squeezed out. The next thing she knew, deft fingers were working over her scalp, massaging shampoo into her hair gently. It was strange to feel just one hand doing it, but his ministrations made her scalp tingle as he expertly lathered her hair. By the time he was done, she was fairly humming with pleasure.

After she washed it out, she heard another bottle open and moments later felt him working conditioner into her hair. Fingers working even more magic than before, she tilted her head back and had to bite back an appreciative moan. He twisted her hair into a loose tail and another bottle opened and closed, and she was shocked when she felt his hand begin smoothing over her back, massaging tense muscles into relaxing.

At first his touch was almost impersonal as it traveled over the flesh of her back, but the feeling of intimacy grew as he traveled down the dip of her spine and over her bottom before his hand came around and began working on her stomach in small circles. Feeling weak kneed she leaned against him, humming appreciatively when he proved to be a pillar of support.

His hand traveled up over her ribcage, his forearm sliding against her skin pleasantly as he slicked soap up further and further. When the roughness of his palm slid over her breast she whimpered, unsure if she could actually stay in the shower. Feeling aware of everything at once, she felt his chest against her soapy back and the hardness of him behind her, keeping her steady, supporting her as he took care with her form.

There was something sensual and intimate about being bathed by someone else. His touch stayed within the bounds of propriety even as he moved over her most intimate areas, but skirted away from impersonal.

Trust. She trusted him, completely, wholly. Even when he crouched behind her and began soaping her legs he was careful with her, as if he'd somehow bruise her. A gasped breath escaped when he smoothed over the back of her knee cap, tickling her. A second later he repeated the motion, and she giggled again, then looked over her shoulder to glare at him. However, he looked too amused to glare at, and she giggled playfully when he did it a third time.

When he finished, she stepped under the shower head and ran her hands through her hair and over her skin to wash both conditioner and sudsy soap away. Blinking several times, she saw him watching her, a smile tilting up the corner of his lips. Stepping from under the water, she smiled and slid behind him, pushing him under the water to her his hair wet.

Silently she repeated the process of shampooing his hair, taking extra care to be gentle, as she'd noticed the now bleached roots. Going slowly and making sure to cover every inch, she lathered his hair and continued massaging his scalp when he stepped under the shower head. After that she took equal care in massaging in the conditioner, repressing a giggle as the feel of his slick hair sliding between her fingers. Opting to braid his long locks instead of a simple twist as he had done, she finished it neatly and threw it over his shoulder.

The next step was more daunting than the first two, and with no small amount of trepidation she squirted soap into her palm and closed the bottle, noticing her hand trembled as she set it down. Splitting the soap between two hands, she began moving her palms and fingers over his back, hesitant at first, then gaining confidence when a groan slipped out from in front of her. Knowing her fingers were not so deft and strong as his, she opted for smoothing over his skin again and again, following invisible patterns and making circles, moving steadily lower and lower.

Her touch became hesitant again when she reached his posterior, confidence quickly fleeing as her hands trembled nervously and fumbled. He became curiously still when she pulled away and then shyly gripped his hips and began motioning for him to turn. For a moment she thought he'd stand fast. Just as she was about to give up he turned toward her, inhaling deeply.

Quietly continuing her exploration, she started high on his chest, smoothing her hands over his shoulders and back down again, tracing her nails lightly over the skin. Noticing that she was out of soap, she paused long enough to get more and begin again, innocently intrigued by the muscles that tensed and twitched beneath the skin as she ran her hands over them. Taking time to explore the lines of his chest, she delight in the feel of him, moving lower and lower.

When she reached his stomach, her hands greedily swept over the line if hair she'd learned was called a happy trail, smoothing it down before sweeping apart and dusting her fingertips over the sharp lines of his hips. Luxuriating in the feel of the muscles beneath her palms, she slid her hands lower, feeling shy again.

Wanting to show him that she appreciated his own efforts, she moved lower, grateful that he wasn't evidencing any form of...desire. It made it easier to crouch and begin soaping sturdy legs that tensed beneath her touch. Curiously she let her fingertips ghost of the back of his knee, and was rewarded with a twitch. A very spastic twitch.

"You're ticklish," She giggled, standing back up at trying not to flush. For several very strange moments she had, for lack of a better word, had an eyeful, and she still wasn't sure how to process it. Gently pushing him under the water to wash out his hair and to clean his skin, she couldn't help but appreciate the way his skin moved over flowing muscles. When his hair fell out of the heavy braid, she moved forward to embrace him and ran her fingers from his scalp down to help. Not because he needed it, but because the feeling of being so close felt...Nice. Standing on her tiptoes, she brushed her lips against his while his eyes were closed.

"Thank you," She breathed against his lips. His eyes fluttered open and he looked down at her as if he'd never seen her before. Forcing her sleepy smile to stay in the face of that expression took all of her resolve, but within seconds he was smiling a small smile down at her, leaning to kiss her again, starting at her lips and ending at her jaw, dusting the interim with small, light touches of his lips.

"Thank you," He rumbled, and it sounded more like a purr. Leaning into him when his arm wrapped around her, she felt the water sluicing the soap off his chest and shoulders. They stayed that way until the water began to cool.

"By the way, how did she convince you to bleach your eyebrows? They match a lot better," She finally asked as she turned the water off. He shrugged once, not deigning to reply as he got out and grabbed their towels, handing hers to her before beginning to dry off. Feeling shy again, she modestly hid herself behind the white terrycloth and waited for him to wrap the towel around his waist before getting out.

He gave her another long, toe curling kiss before exiting the bathroom and closing the door behind him. Smiling to herself and running her tongue over her swollen bottom lip she hurried with drying off before pulling on the clean clothes. The linen pants were heavenly as she slid up her legs, and the drawstring kept them on her hips. They were -predictably- too long. She shrugged on the white shirt and bent to roll up the bottoms of the pants before wrapping the towel around her shoulders and stepping out.

Feeling relaxed and light, she walked into the living/dining room and stopped when she saw Inu Yasha, headphones plugging his ears and a frown tugging his lips down. When he noticed her staring, he yanked the earplugs out.

"I have to use that fucking shower too you know! Next time can't you guys just keep it to his room?" He snapped. Her smile wilted and he immediately looked like he regretted his words. "Nevermind. Just don't do that kind of crap in the shower, please? I have to bleach it before I can use it again. Breakfast is in the microwave," He grumbled, looking awkward as he went back to the textbook in front of him. Kagome walked by him quietly, not quite sure how to react to his request and opened the microwave.

"Inu Yasha, I told you not to get ramen!"

His laughter was loud enough that she was sure the neighbors heard it.

"It's a joke. I got that while you two were fooling around. Real breakfast is in the fridge," He chuckled. Resisting the urge to dump the hot soup in his lap, she closed the microwave and opened the fridge, grabbing a brown paper bag, surprisingly heavy and the big bottle of orange juice. She had just started pouring some into glasses when she heard Sesshoumaru enter the dining room, Inu Yasha muttering something about consideration for roommates.

When she brought the glasses in and went back for the bag, she tried to fight back the blush that threatened when she saw him, his long white hair still damp and hanging in ringlets down his very bare torso. Opening the bag, she pulled out a muffin, laughing weakly when her stomach growled petulantly.

"What the fuck happened to your eyebrows?" Inu Yasha asked, looking at his half brother. Kagome watched quietly as one of said eyebrows quirked indolently.

"It is more uniform," He finally said.

"Looks fucking weird," Inu Yasha muttered, although Kagome could tell he was already considering what he'd look like with the same. "Koharu's work?" Sesshoumaru nodded once and the younger of the two brothers sighed heavily.

"She is sorry for what happened," Kagome supplied.

"I know," He whined. "I'll probably call her to get rid of the black in a day or two."

"She is aware of Sango and Miroku's relationship," Sesshoumaru pointed out. "She is unhappy."

"Well duh," Inu Yasha retorted. "She's only had a crush on Miroku since they were kids." The statement earned a careless one shouldered shrug.

"I need to borrow the car," Inu Yasha started.

"I am going to see someone today, I will be gone most of the day," Sesshoumaru rebutted swiftly, his tone brooking no argument. Kagome was about to ask if she could join him when Inu Yasha stopped her.

"Most of the day? Where the hell are you going?"

"Nagano," Sesshoumaru responded evenly, although the look he cast Inu Yasha was filled with a warning to keep silent. Feeling left out of the loop, Kagome was about to open her mouth to ask again when her phone began ringing determinedly, shattering the silence. Glancing down, she saw her home number blinking up at her cheerily. Groaning she opened it and stood, moving to the other side of the room.

"Hello?" She asked hesitantly. In her worry she hadn't even remembered to call home and let her brother or grandfather know she wouldn't be back that evening.

"Kagome, where are you? We've all been worried sick!" The Higurashi patriarch's voice creaked over the line. Exhaling gustily, grateful it wasn't her mother, she kept her voice low, casting a quick glance at the brothers watching her intently.

"I'm sorry, one of my friends was having a bad night and I stayed to help out. I'll be home soon," She promised. Before hanging up he mentioned her mother's frantic pacing and how he was getting too old for such surprises. Feeling a flinch of guilt and resentment, she said her goodbyes before closing the phone and shuffling over to the table to finish her muffin.

"I will drop you off on my way," Sesshoumaru rumbled. "Gather your things."

Kagome went to the bathroom and grabbed her still damp clothes, unsure how she was going to explain wearing what were obviously men's clothes to her family. When she came back out Inu Yasha handed her a plastic bag to toss them in. Sesshoumaru was fully dressed and slipping his shoes on by the time she grabbed her school and fan bags. Slipping on her shoes she followed him out.

"So what's in Nagano?" She asked conversationally as they walked down the stairs.

"A friend," He answered cryptically. Rolling her eyes she giggled and laced her fingers in his. For a moment it felt like he was going to pull his hand away, and she worried that perhaps she'd gone too far with the display of affection. Any time they were in public he seemed to distance himself. Readying herself for the rejection, she was pleasantly surprised when his fingers stayed entwined with hers.

"What will you tell your family?" He asked.

"If they ask, the truth. I don't like lying, and I don't want to lie about you," She sighed, blue eyes shifting to a blue gray as she contemplated arriving home. "Although mom hasn't talked to me at all, so I doubt she's going to say anything about it."

Sesshoumaru thought this to be faulty logic. It was one thing to have your daughter spring a double life on you. It was another for that child to suddenly disappear with no word, and even though it had only been for a night, he figured her mother to be the kind that would be frantic despite how old Kagome was.

Choosing to stay silent, he let her lean against them once they reached the ground floor and walked to his car. It was a steady pleasant warmth, one that had been absent in previous relationships. To be fair, most of them had been purely physical, and he'd be lying to himself if he tried to label her as such. What she was he wasn't quite sure, and it was something he wanted to avoid examining too closely. Her humming was random and tuneless, clashing with the pattern of their feet hitting the concrete as they walked.

Once they were on the road, navigating busy weekend traffic, she made a small announcement that he knew she'd been sitting on for the past 24 hours.

"I finally got the blue," She whispered almost shyly. Saying congratulations seemed too stiff for such an accomplishment, one that he had watched her struggle for. Nor could he squeeze her hand like most would do, as he was driving. Settling for a smile, one of his rare, genuine ones, he nodded encouragingly.

"And I have enough for a few props for the next shoot."

He wondered how she was affording all of the supplies for this, and asked her.

"Some of the money from the performances is going into it," She shrugged. "I figure this way I can help out more, you know? Sometimes it feels like I don't do enough."

She was doing plenty, although he didn't say it aloud. Despite her doubts, she'd been helping the others memorize the routine that was proving to be a difficulty for all of them, especially after adding Kouga to it, forcing them to rework the entire thing. Adding the work she was putting in on the fire dyes, it was odd that she would feel that way, at least he thought so.

"What shade is it?" He asked, changing the topic back to something she would enjoy.

"It's a light blue. I was thinking about trying to get different shades, after I finish purple. I tried to figure out a yellow, but everything I could use would burn too hot to be safe," She added as an afterthought. "But it would be amazing to get different shades of the colors. Dark blue and emerald green, maybe even pink."

When she began going over the chemicals, he listened with interest, although he knew she was thinking out loud more than anything else, her brow furrowing in concentration. He found, to his surprise, that he enjoyed listening to her gentle cadence as she went over formulas aloud, fighting the urge to smile as she dug through her schoolbag and pulled out a notebook and pen to begin writing down her thoughts.

By the time they'd reached the shrine, she'd easily covered three or four pages with different notes and formulas, the strange equations covering the pages in neat lines. He watched her for another three minutes before clearing his throat quietly, causing her to look up in confusion. When she recognized the parking lot near her home, she stuttered and blushed, rather prettily he thought. There was something endearing about her absentmindedness, the way she lost herself in what he was beginning to consider her work.

"Thanks, sorry. I didn't mean to ramble on like that. Stop me next time," She laughed. He nodded, knowing he would do nothing of the sort. She leaned over the console to brush her lips over his lightly, clear blue eyes open as she did so.

"See you tomorrow?" She asked. He nodded.

"I will pick you up here," He confirmed. She was getting out when she stopped and dove back into the car, capturing his lips with her own. Surprised by her boldness, he let her direct the kiss, feeling another surge of white hot lust despite her gentleness. It was a long, slow kiss, one that didn't demand or pressure for anything more. When she pulled back, she seemed dazed, cheeks flush and eyes a few shades darker than normal.

"Tomorrow?" She asked. He nodded, leaning back to put some distance between them. The memory of their morning was still too close to the surface, making him want to drag her into the car and carry her off somewhere more private to continue further. Reminding himself that she was still a virgin, that her boundaries were still in place, he reined the lust in, forcing those thoughts from his mind.

"Tomorrow," He promised, watching her get out and this time close the door carefully, lower lip between her teeth.

She waved goodbye, walking from the car slowly, hugging the bag of her clothes to her chest. Every once in awhile she would look over her shoulder and see his car still idling. Every time it got smaller and smaller, but she imagined him watching her as she walked away, until she turned the corner and began scaling the shrine steps. The silly smile on her lips didn't fade the entire way, not even considering what could be waiting for her. When she opened the door, she began walking up the stairs when a calm voice called out her name from the living room.

Feeling the first stages of dread creeping into the high she was riding, beginning to stain it something darker, she walked into the living room, surprised to see her mother sitting in her old, overstuffed chair, a stack of photos in front of her. Immediately recognizing them as the photos Izayoi had given her, showing them all at the bar, Kagome felt her blood freeze in her veins.

"Sit down," Nodoka commanded, voice strangely devoid of emotion. Feeling the undercurrent of anger more than hearing it, Kagome sat on the couch across from the woman who had given birth to her, unsure of she was angry or afraid.

"I was cleaning your room," Nodoka began, stopping when Kagome made a rude noise.

"It was clean. You were spying," She accused, resentment growing at her mother's lie.

"And I found these. Is this what you call studying? Is this what you all do when you're not here?" Nodoka demanded, voice raising with each word, laced with anger and frustration.

"That was the night I found out I got the scholarship. We were celebrating because I wouldn't have to hide the troupe from you anymore," She explained calmly, trying to keep a hold on her temper.

"Celebrating? Kagome, you're drunk and kissing _him_ in the middle of a public place!" Her mother accused.

"I'm twenty, I'm allowed to drink," She retorted hotly. "I don't do it often, and that's the only time I've ever gotten drunk. And as for kissing _Sesshoumaru_," She said the name with extra emphasis, making her mother flinch. "I care about him and I find him attractive. Kissing is a natural step."

"What about the tattoo parlor? Did they talk to into getting a tattoo?" The woman snapped hotly, not even bothering to defend her words against the man her daughter had been kissing.

"Actually, they didn't. I mentioned wanting it, as a reminder of the family I've gathered around me since my own mother can't be bothered to do anything but manipulate me into obeying her anymore," She shouted, immediately regretting her words. Wishing she could take them back, the stricken look on the older Higurashi's face felt like a slap in the face.

"Is that what you think I've been doing? Manipulating you?" Nodoka demanded, tears beginning to swell in her dark brown eyes. "I've just been trying to help you succeed-" She started.

"Mom," Kagome began, forcing her voice to stay even and soft. "You've had me behind a wall for years. I tried so hard to make you happy. But when you told me to give up fire, to give up dancing, I couldn't. I feel like I'll die if I have to stop, like there won't be any reason for the studying and success. Can't you understand?" Taking advantage of the silence, she plowed forward, determined to get it all out.

"I'm twenty now. I've never had a boyfriend, and I feel so lost when it comes to dealing with Sesshoumaru because I've never done this before, even though normal girls have. I've only started making real friends this year. I know you've been doing this for the best, but it hasn't been the best for me. Ever since I joined the troupe, I feel more in control of my life, more sure of where I'm going."

"You're not in control," Her mother finally said. "You're out of control. You've been sneaking around, lying to your family-"

"Because you can't let me exist as myself!" She snapped, frustration giving her tone a bitter edge. "Because you're projecting your past, your fears, your problems on me!"

"I've only ever looked out for you, tried to keep you safe."

"From what? Life?" She demanded shrilly.

"Maybe you need it."

This was spiraling out of her control and she knew it, saw it happening. Somehow they had exposed a nerve, one she hadn't even been aware of existing. But her mother's defensiveness, her stubborn clinging to her excuses made her angry, angrier than she had ever been, and she didn't know how to deal with it.

It burst out in an angry flood of words she knew she would regret, but couldn't stop.

"I love my life now. I didn't even know I should have hated it before, because I didn't know how fun, how fulfilling it could be until recently. But don't try to stuff me into a box because of your failures!"

Her mother said nothing, but the look of horror on her face was enough to let her know that what she'd said had hit it's mark, and damned if she didn't feel the slightest bit vindicated.

"Over a decade of living a life you wished you had lived, of catering to your concerns and fears instead of dealing with my own. Ever since dad died, you've tried to turn me into a machine. I barely remember him anymore because you sapped all of the happiness he ever gave us out of our lives. I don't want that life. I don't need it. And I don't need you."

With that she spun on her heel, shocked to see her grandfather standing there, eyes open in shock. Knowing he had heard at least part of the exchange, she walked past him without saying a word, without looking him in the eyes, and began walking up the stairs.

She packed not knowing why she was packing, or where she was going. Desperate to just get away, to get some space, she threw some clothes into her bag and made sure she had her school books and props. The yellow backpack was stuffed to the brim when she shrugged it on and walked out of her room. Ignoring the living room entirely, where she heard people talking.

In a daze she walked to the bus stop and waited, and she realized she had no idea where to go. Unsure of what else to do, she opened her phone and called the first person she could think of.

* * *

"Well hello, wow. Did the stress get to you or did you fall in a paint bucket?" Totosai asked when he opened the door to his forge. Determined to keep a straight face in front of one of his father's oldest friends (who also happened to be his godfather) he said nothing in response, although a biting comment was at the tip of his tongue, aching to get out.

"I have come to commission new props," He informed him smartly, following him inside. In the main room there were several blades, tangs exposed and waiting for a grip. On another wall sat a dozen different weapons, all completed and waiting for owners.

"Never waste any time, do you? How's your brother?" His godfather asked as he sat himself down at his rough wooden table.

"I want a set of these made, but out of a metal that will not carry heat as quickly as the steel," Sesshoumaru replied, ignoring pleasantries as he put the fans on the workbench in front of the old man. Totosai didn't even notice the slight, eying the fans speculatively.

"Where'd you get these?" He rasped in his creaky voice.

"You made them," Sesshoumaru bit out impatiently.

"I don't remember making anything like this for you," The old man grumbled, snapping one open and admiring the work.

"For a girl. She said you gave her a discount."

"Did I?"

"Yes, you did," Sesshoumaru ground out, keeping a leash on his temper by sheer force of will. "Her name was Higurashi."

"Oh, yes. Cute girl, reason for the discount. Not many women come to me with commissions, and even fewer pretty ones. Took me about a bit to come up with the design, one of the better challenges I've had. Even made a few more, in case she came back," The swordsmith creaked as he stood and stretched lazily, scratching his armpit as he left the room. He came back within minutes, a folder in his hand.

"These were the different designs. Is the metal heating too quickly for her to hold them?" He asked.

"No, but she needs to be able to hold it further up the spines without getting burned."

The blacksmith muttered under his breath as he looked at the design that seemed to most resemble the tessen on the table, grabbing a pencil and paper, drawing up quick sketches. He pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something under his breath.

"Why do you have such an interest in this?" Totosai finally asked, closing the folder.

"I am her employer," The young man replied stonily, careful to keep his expression neutral.

"So that's the way of it. Well, I'll see what I can do, but it might take some time. How's your brother?" He asked again.

"He does well."

"And you?"

"I am fine."

The old man made a rude noise, rolling his eyes heavenward. Moving over to the wall, he pulled down a box that had been sitting on the shelf, grunting from the weight.

"I seem to remember you studying the way of the war fan at one point," He said, gesturing to the box.

"I am teaching Kagome," He admitted after a moment.

"So it's Kagome now? Sweet girl, if I remember correctly. Only ever saw her the one time, but she appreciated the work."

Sesshoumaru considered saying nothing, but he had also known the old man long enough to know that if he stayed silent, whatever was in the box, something he would probably appreciate having, would stay on the workbench when he left.

"She is very passionate about the fire."

"And you?"

He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about the fire anymore. Performing for others was still a chore he didn't enjoy, but when they came together and let go, ignoring routine for just moving as their bodies commanded, it felt different. He shrugged once, hoping it conveyed indifference instead of confusion.

"You're not half so good a liar as you think, not when you're trying with me boy. Don't forget, I've known you since you were a spoiled little brat terrorizing the others in the dojo. If you're changing, good. That was the point of this whole scheme of your father's. He saw too much of your mother in you, and wanted to spare you that particular fate."

Sesshoumaru scoffed, bitter at the reminder of his father.

"Think what you will, but he did it for your own good, Inu Yasha's too. Well, anyway, I'm rambling like an old fool on things that aren't important quite yet. Tell me, how does she look using them?"

"Glorious," He said before he could stop it. Feeling the light blush that burned his ears, he frowned, wondering if he could cover up the slip.

"Glorious, eh? High praise coming from you. Must be quite a sight. Any way I could come watch you kids some time? Seems the least you could do after all the work I've put into making your props. Not to mention how generous I am."

"Generous?" Sesshoumaru huffed indignantly. The man had charged them for everything, and while the prices hadn't been as bad as they'd all initially feared, he hadn't flinched when presenting them with it either.

"Well, see, I've got a few spares, and no one's come to old Totosai asking for anything similar. I was thinking that pretty girl might appreciate a new set, maybe you might want one too."

There had to be a catch, some ulterior motive, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Eyes narrowing suspiciously, he regarded his godfather. The old man looked senile, acted senile, and had convinced most of the world he didn't have any brain cells left in his old age. However, there were moments Sesshoumaru suspected it was an act. Although why the old man would feel the need to pretend he couldn't begin to fathom.

"We are gathering tomorrow night to take promotional shots," He offered reluctantly.

"Sounds like a date. Now let's go have some tea. Need some help with that?"

Sesshoumaru picked up the box deftly and walked back outside of the forge, grateful to be away from the heat. Even though he respected Totosai's hold on the traditional way of making weapons, he didn't like being in places that radiated so much heat. It felt like being inside of a volcano. He put the box on top of his trunk and unlocked it, moving the box and setting it in back, wanting to peek inside.

"Not till you get home," Totosai admonished. "Might ruin the surprise. Go on inside, I'll be right behind you, forgot something in the shop."

Following the old man's instructions, he went inside, only to be accosted by Saya's questions. The paler of the two brother's was insatiably curious about everything in life, and had known him as long as Totosai had, which meant he didn't even care when Sesshoumaru growled at the nature of his questions.

"Got a girlfriend yet? Let me guess. Cute, long legs, perfect dark eyes, long dark hair. Maybe a model, like your mother?" He shot out. The front door closed and Totosai came in, smirking at them.

"Look at all of us, white hair between the three of us. How did that happen anyway?" Totosai demanded. Giving in to the old man's insistence, he began explaining the incident, ignoring the uproarious laughter and sipping his tea quietly. Nothing more was said about his father or mother, although they both made inquiries about his brother's life.

An hour later they told him to get out, in those words, although it had been said with smiles. Used to their strange manners he left, making sure they had directions to the field where the shoot would be held.

When he arrived at the apartment complex, he opened the trunk and stared down, surprise shocking through him. Next to the box were several cases, one having a note taped to the top. He pulled it free and opened it.

'When I'm feeling generous, I'm feeling generous. Had some back stock.'

Folding the note and looking back down at the cases, he reached down and opened one. Inside was an abnormally long sword, a thick fold of kevlar running down almost it's entire length. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he called Inu Yasha and told him to come down, not even bothering to see if he was even at home before hanging up, eyes still fastened on the cases. He closed the box holding the sword and waited patiently. Several minutes later Inu Yasha walked over, and he noticed black eyebrows were no gray and the roots of his hair had been bleached.

"What's all this?" Inu Yasha demanded. Sesshoumaru handed him the note and Inu Yasha read it twice before looking back at the trunk.

"He gave us all of this?" He asked dumbly.

"He asked to come see us perform. Apparently it appealed to his sense of charity."

"You serious? All this just because you said he could come watch us?"

Perhaps Totosai had known what a concession it had been, to allow it. As a master weaponsmith, he respected the arts he made weapons for. Allowing him to watch them make light of those arts, turn them into cheap entertainment, felt like risking the old man's respect, something he would never admit he appreciated having.

"We need to take these up into the apartment," Sesshoumaru rumbled.

"When are we going to tell everyone else?" Inu Yasha asked as he began gathering up cases in his arms. When he couldn't grab anymore, Sesshoumaru began stacking them, one at a time until the trunk was empty save for the box. Grabbing it to carry himself, he sat it on the pile while closing the trunk and took possession of it again.

They rode the elevator up, and when they got inside, Inu Yasha spread each case out in the almost bare living room and began opening them, exclaiming over the new props. There were two short swords and two regularly sized katana, as well as the abnormally long one. Another strangely sized one, wider than the rest by at least two or three times, caught Inu Yasha's eye. It was a scaled up version of the sword he favored most, and he lifted it from the case, exclaiming over the weight.

"It's heavier than the other one," He groaned, putting it back down.

"It is bigger," Was all he said while looking at the long sword. It was easily over four feet, possibly closer to five. Inu Yasha continued opening cases, finding new kama for Kohaku and even new buugeng designed for Sango. Apparently the old blacksmith had begun fancying more whimsical fare, because there was a staff that cleverly mimicked a priests staff, a metal ring covered in kevlar at each end and small ring looped around that one, those too covered in kevlar. A brilliantly designed set of gauntlets clanked in another box, with claws that reached out far enough from the hand to allow for kevlar strips running long them.

"I can't believe he gave us all of this. What's in the box?" Inu Yasha asked, tearing his gaze from their unexpected bounty. Sesshoumaru opened the box and pulled out one of the tessen, fashioned exactly like the ones Kagome used. He looked inside and counted five more.

'A few,' He mentally scoffed, wanting to roll his eyes. But she'd be pleased when presented with them. Her first set was already showing signs of wear and tear, the kevlar beginning to fray a little.

"Wow. Umm, so I guess the bad news won't be so bad now," In Yasha said, earning a sharp glance. He shrugged and began closing the cases, a frown furrowing his brows. "Koharu said she can't make it tomorrow. She's still too wound up about Miroku and Sango. Nice going by the way," He accused.

"What point would there have been in lying?" Sesshoumaru bit out.

"Whatever. We've got the masks, so it's not a big deal, and Kagome and Sango know enough about hair to deal with all that."

It was a minor complication, one that he was sure would settle itself in time. Helping stack the cases of props next to the metal chest, he left Inu Yasha alone and walked back to his room, intent on finishing a paper. Instead he saw his blanket, straight and neat on his futon, and remembered that morning. Thinking of how excited she would be to be sharing the compounds and receiving the new fans, he pulled out his phone, almost hitting the call button when he stopped, shaking his head.

He did not act like this. This was not him. Cold water doused the steady warmth and he sat the phone on the nightstand and opened his laptop, frowning as he opened the document for his international business law class and began working on it again, forcing himself to remember that in a few months she would no longer be a part of his life, and that it wouldn't matter.


	15. Imprisoned

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 15: Imprisoned**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the rights to Inu Yasha or the song by Shogun

* * *

She couldn't help but stare out of the window of the luxurious hotel suite. It was more than anything she'd ever imagined, more than she had any right to expect or even accept. But it had been Izayoi to arrange it, Izayoi to tell her to wait for her there. And she was waiting, had been for hours.

The city was bright below her. Not many buildings in the area reached as high as she was, and she looked down, each second making her feel more and more detached from reality.

Had she really left home? Maybe she was still with Sesshoumaru, dreaming. It didn't feel like she'd left, like she'd said those awful things to her mother.

A knock sounded at the door, startling her from her reverie. When she opened it, Izayoi was staring at her with concerned brown eyes.

"What happened, Kagome?"

"Mom found the pictures you gave me."

Izayoi became a whirlwind, forcing her to sit and picking up the phone, ordering room service and making another phone call. She didn't hear any of it, not really. The sounds were quick, rushed jabs at her consciousness when it finally began to settle on her.

She had left home. Was it running away if you were an adult? It felt like running away, she felt like some sort of delinquent out too late, waiting for her mother to come find her. But Izayoi was finishing her phone call and came to sit next to her on the plush bed, her form making it sag.

"Did she kick you out?" Izayoi asked quietly.

And the whole thing crashed down on her.

Her mother hadn't done this to her, she had done this to herself, and she admitted it plainly as tears clogged her throat. Sesshoumaru's strange attack, her need to stay with him, to help him, coming home to her mother telling her she was out of control.

She felt out of control. Now that she was away from that place, had left so abruptly, she felt like everything had shattered. Nothing was right anymore. Despite the fact that she had been the one to walk away, she felt strangely abandoned, disappointed her mother hadn't tried to follow her, disappointed that her mother hadn't even tried to call her.

Izayoi listened, pulled her close and let her cry out everything that had gone wrong. The sheer relief of letting go, of being allowed to just be, to be angry and to be afraid broke something in her, making her cry even harder as she gave in to the fear. A decade of loneliness and frustration and anger rushed out in half garbled sentences and choked gasps for breath.

And when she was nothing but a quiet sniffling mess, she realized Izayoi was running her hands over her hair, was making soothing noises she hadn't heard since she was a child.

How long had it been since she was like this with her own mother?

"It'll be okay Kagome. We'll figure it out."

We. A team.

Just as the thought finally settled on her, a knock sounded at the door again, and Izayoi gently extracted herself. Minutes later she was pulling a cart into the room and thanking whoever had brought it.

"I thought you might be hungry, I know I am. Now," She said, uncovering several trays. "What do we start with?"

"I'm sorry about all of this-"

"Don't be, Kagome. I'm glad you called. It's selfish of me," The woman murmured, bringing the cart next to the bed and sitting on it, crossing her legs like a high school student. "I haven't been allowed to be a mother, not like I want to be. I miss it. And I'm very fond of you."

"You hardly know me."

"I know enough," The woman said with a small smile. "You befriended my sons, you helped Inu Yasha regain his best friend, you're helping him with his studies, and you're there for Sesshoumaru. I know none of that is easy. And you've done it all while dealing with this situation with your mother. I admit, I don't like what happened between the two of you, but I can understand from both sides what happened."

Kagome accepted the chopsticks and poked at the plate of sushi Izayoi had put on the bed, unsure if she wanted to understand her mother's side of it, but needing to anyway.

"Why? Why does she act like that?"

"Fear makes us do many strange, very stupid things. Your mother is afraid, has probably been afraid for a very long time."

"That doesn't mean-" Strange, how hearing someone defending her mother brought the anger back as easily as striking a match.

"I'm not defending what she did Kagome. I don't believe what she did was right. But from what I've gathered, she doesn't want you to end up in her place someday. Fear's a very potent thing, and when a woman's children are concerned, we mothers can go to extremes."

She knew without asking that Izayoi was thinking about herself and her own sons. Knowing what the woman had done to help not only her children, but those close to them, she couldn't help but wonder if her own mother was going to a similar extreme. Surely what both women were doing would be disagreed with by most, but they were intent on helping their children.

But she couldn't go back to that. Not when her mother was boxing her in, caging her with fear and worry.

"It seems to me you have two options, Kagome," Izayoi finally said, breaking through her thoughts.

"Hnn?"

Izayoi chuckled, earning a curious glance.

"You sounded very much like my son, for a moment. It seems to be Sesshoumaru's default answer to almost everything. But, Kagome, you have to either go back and face your mother, or we have to find you a place to live."

"I can't go back. Not yet," She sighed. Facing her mother now, even Izayoi's slight defense of her mother had made her angry. How was she supposed to face the woman knowing there would only be another blow up?

"Do you have a friend you can stay with for a couple of days?"

"I can probably stay with Sango," She admitted. And if not Sango and the others, maybe Sesshoumaru, although the idea of asking to stay with him, without a crisis being involved, was daunting. More than anything she wanted his solid presence, but he had already said he would be out of town, and she didn't want to disturb him. That and sleeping with him implicated other activities she wasn't sure she was ready for yet.

"I can find you a place."

"Izayoi-"

"Kagome, please let me do this. In a way it's my fault-"

"It's not your fault-"

"I feel that it is. Let an old lady feel better about herself, okay?"

She wasn't sure she even had the mental fortitude to argue anymore. Instead she nodded wearily, giving in to the force that was Izayoi.

And an hour later, when Izayoi left with the promise to call her in the morning, she admitted that there was a comfort there, and a sadness. Izayoi had, in one night, acted like the mother she had needed. It was the fact that her own mother had not in such a long time that stung.

* * *

The call that she would be coming ahead with Sango was as strange as it was surprising. Trying to push it from his mind, he couldn't ignore the flicker of unease that had followed the statement, especially given the tightness of her voice.

When they arrived at the field, he had to stop himself from going to the car, instead going to his own so that he could show them the new ones. However, the unease grew when she didn't immediately walk over and say hello. Instead she hung back, talking to Sango, her body language shouting that she was uncomfortable.

What had happened since he had dropped her off.

"Hey," Miroku greeted, walking over and looking stressed. "Wow, what are those?"

Something was going on.

Instead of demanding an answer, he chose to wait for it, because in the end, that would be easier.

"New props, courtesy of Totosai. He is coming to watch us tonight."

"Look, Kagome-"

He waited.

"She's upset. I know you're not one for public displays of affection, but she could use it right now."

Despite even greater temptation to ask what had happened, he didn't. He didn't even acknowledge that the other man had spoken as he began pulling props from the trunk of his car, handing them off one by one. When Kagome and Sango finally came over, he handed other props and basins to them before grabbing a canister of fuel. There was a strangely oppressive silence hanging over the group and he tried not to let it bother him.

But it did. Especially when he watched her mixing in her new compounds with no trace of excitement. He knew the compounds were her life, everything to her, and she seemed withdrawn, almost afriad to look in his direction.

He would not engage in some form of public affection just to make her feel better. He wouldn't.

But her silence was beginning to eat at him, especially when Shippou arrived and began trying to fill the silence, as if he too, knew what had happened.

"Kagome."

Why did she flinch when he spoke her name? Determined to get to the bottom of the situation, he walked past her, nodding once to indicate she should follow, which she did. Reluctantly. When they were a safe distance away he turned to her and looked down, waiting patiently.

"I left home."

Three very small words holding a world of pain and fear. Her shoulders were hunched and she looked like she was expecting someone to strike her.

And he had no idea how to respond, what to say. Because she looked so small, so alone, and he had never dealt with that before. What was he supposed to say, to ask?

"She found the photos Izayoi gave me, of all of us from the bar. Everything just got so out of hand."

When had this happened? Yesterday, or today? He felt an irrational surge of anger that she had told the others, but not him. A strange sort of possessiveness drove him. She had been his, was supposed to be the one person in the group that came to him before anyone else, and she hadn't told him. The others obviously knew, so why not him?

Forcing himself to take a long, calming breath he waited a moment before speaking, hoping to keep any trace of that anger from escaping in his tone.

"Where are you staying?"

"I'm so sorry," She mumbled. He could see the tears beginning and wondered what she felt so sorry for. Even not telling him shouldn't have drawn this sort of reaction from her.

"For what?"

"I was just upset and didn't know what to do. I couldn't tell anyone else how mom found out about us, about everything. You said you were going outside of the city and I didn't know who else to call-"

She was babbling and half hysterical, and he wanted to shake her.

"Who did you call, Kagome?"

"Izayoi," She whimpered. If he had thought her ready for a strike before, it was nothing compared to what she was doing now. Her whole body was tensed and ready for flight even as she made herself smaller.

But he wasn't angry. Given her reasoning he understood, although he still felt a strange sort of betrayal that she hadn't called him, let him know what had happened.

"I'm not trying to take advantage, I swear," She babbled. "But she said since it was partially her fault-" And the rest was lost in the tangled mess of words that were rendered incoherent by small sputters and sobs as tears continued down her cheeks.

"You did the right thing," He told her, trying to calm her hysterics but utterly at a loss of how to do so. But his words seemed to have the intended effect, because she looked up at him and blinked several times before choking out a small 'really' that was an obvious question. When he nodded, she faily threw herself at him, arms going around his waist as a new wave of tears began.

Ignoring the others even though he could feel their eyes boring into his back, he rubbed her back awkwardly, let her cling and compose herself.

"Thank you," She murmured, wiping her face. "I didn't mean to break down like that-"

"It's been a very trying couple of days," He interrupted. "But we should start."

She nodded, seeming to sense his ow awkwardness and smiling as if she understood.

When they got back to the group, he was surprised to see Totosai and Saya with them, Totosai smiling approvingly as he walked by. Nothing was said, for which he was grateful. Everyone acted as if the display hadn't occurred, and he felt a bit better about letting it happen. Especially when Kagome shook hands with his godfather and smiled widely, thanking him for taking the time to come out. When he showed her the new fans, her eyes lit up and he felt, for a moment, as if he had accomplished something great.

* * *

She exhaled, closed her eyes and then inhaled deeply, breathing in the scents of fuel and sweat and leather. Despite the mask everything filtered through, although she was worried the mask would fall off as she got into position.

It was strange to see familiar faces obscured by the masks, it made it seem darker somehow, as if they were spirits. The unearthly colors of the flames only added the the surreal atmosphere as she watched the others battle before watching Sango light her fans.

Adrenaline surged as she leapt and danced through the darkness, blue flames trailing around her as she danced. Kouga bounded around her and Inu Yasha swung his sword, forcing her to remain on the steps of the routine, but when Sesshoumaru came onto the field and the others pulled away, she felt peace descend even as her blood roared in her ears and her heart sped up.

He didn't force her to go through the steps, didn't stick to the plan. Instead he allowed her to dance, and anticipated her movements so that she was free to let go. As if a tether had been cut, she flew, danced and even cried out her joy as months worth of tension crested and shattered.

The worst had happened. Her mother knew, quite possibly hated her, and she was homeless.

But she still had the fire, still had her friends, even had Sesshoumaru.

She still had that grain of herself, hidden away, and as she danced, she pulled it from the darkness, brought it further into the light and let it guide her movements. No more fear, no more worries, not in this moment. Perfect in it's clarity, she understood everything and the moment itself was all that mattered. Even Sesshoumaru became a dim shadow of himself, and she was dancing with a fire spirit, a smoky, whispering thing that coaxed her closer to freedom until she crested, shattered, and twirled in a flurry of movements.

When nothing but smoke traced her path she slowed, then stopped, chest heaving as she tried to drag in air behind the mask.

Sesshoumaru came forward, sword trailing smoke as he came closer, and she dropped her fans in the damp towel carried by the others, watched him do the same. He removed his mask, and with a sense of reluctance she did the same. Now they were human again, and had human lives, human worries. It was with a sense of desperation that she clung to that moment of peace she had found.

"You did very well," He murmured quietly.

More pictures were taken as the others mock battled, but she and Sesshoumaru walked away, over to where his Totosai waited with Saya. Both of them were nodding approvingly, mirroring one another as they stroked their beards.

"I can see what you meant," Totosai said in his gravely voice. Confused, she looked up to Sesshoumaru, who in turn was glaring at the old man.

"We brought food," Saya said, breaking through the tension and producing a large cardboard box filled with smaller containers. An impromptu picnic was started on the hood of their car, and one by one the others came over, everyone grabbing chopsticks and paper plates and talking about the new fuel compounds.

Her circumstances weren't spoken of, and Totosai and Saya almost took over the conversation entirely while discussing the newest additions of props. Sesshoumaru remained silent, almost tense while the two men were there, and when they finally left and everyone began packing up, she walked over to him and lay a light hand on his shoulder.

"Is everything alright?"

"My godfather is a nosy man," He sighed as he poured fuel back into containers.

"Totosai is your godfather?"

"Hnn."

It was strange to think that he had been disowned by his family, yet his godfather still had contact with him. She supposed it was Totosai's business, and ultimately it made her happy that not everyone in his family had severed contact with him.

"Where are you staying tonight?"

"Sango's."

"You can stay with me," He offered.

Immediately warning bells went off, and she couldn't say precisely why.

"I'd like to, but I need some space right now," She offered hesitantly. "Just room to think about everything."

She knew it was the wrong thing to say, because his face went blank, and suddenly he was the same distant man she had met months ago, and not the man she had danced with, clung to, not long before.

He nodded tightly and said nothing else, only moving to put props and fuel in the trunk of his car. Nothing was said as he and Inu Yasha drove off, and it was with a sense of confusion that she got in Sango's car and listened to everyone talking about the new props and the fire dyes.

When she was finally sitting in Sango's spare room, she realized why she had said no, and wanted to scream.

Staying with Sesshoumaru would mean accepting support from a man. Somehow, despite her best efforts, her mother's teachings had sunk in, and she'd hurt someone wanting to help her. Even though she'd left her mother's home, the woman's voice was still in her head, influencing her actions.

Desperate to try and explain what had happened, she scrambled for her cellphone and flipped it open, quickly dialing Sesshoumaru's number.

After several long rings, it went to voice mail, and she hung up, wondering if she'd succeeded at messing up one of the few good things she had left.

* * *

**A/N:** Short, I know, and I'm sorry. For everyone that replied to my note, thank you so much for your support. I am worried I lost readers for this and offended people, when really it wasn't my intention. Frustration made my previous note very bitter, and I do appreciate the people that have taken the time to invest in this story. If you're reading this still, thank you. I do want to create something that is more than one dimensional, and that was really all I wanted to say (and all I should have said). For any offense caused, I'm sorry.

That being said, every high can be brought down, sometimes with frightening ease. Fire doesn't solve everything, unfortunately.


	16. Disarm Yourself

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 16: Disarm Yourself**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Inu Yasha or the rights to the song by Dash Berlin GO LISTEN TO IT ITS AMAZING erm *cough* yeah.

I'm really sorry about the delay. Recently a cousin died and my family has been getting together so we can all caravan out of state for the memorial service. I won't be writing for at least a week (long drive and we'll be there for a few days, possibly more) so updates will be a bit scattered for the next couple of weeks.

There is lemon content in this chapter, so you were warned. 

Also, this story placed second dokuga awards in the best AU category. To those that nominated and voted, thank you.

* * *

"This is-"

"It is," Izayoi murmured quietly. "After everything you told me, I thought perhaps it would be nice for you to be close but still have your own apartment. If you'd rather be somewhere else, there's Sango's building, or even another."

"This is fine," She mumbled, cheeks heating, not from any sense of embarrassment, but out of utter shame. Since the night she had rebuffed Sesshoumaru's offer, two days before, she hadn't seen him or spoken to him. There hadn't been a scheduled gig and he was absent from the library in the mornings and the afternoons. Given what had happened, she was afraid to call, and everyone was so busy with their own lives that they hadn't had the time to notice that she hadn't seen him for two days.

Or maybe she was being immature, she thought as she accepted the key from Izayoi. Two days only seemed long because they had spent so much time together. Maybe he needed space, or was giving her space, as she'd asked.

"Thank you again."

"This isn't the place I want for you or my sons," Izayoi sighed, eyes misting. "But if you're all together-"

"This is perfect."

"I had some furniture ordered, a few simple things. You'll want to do most of your own decorating, but I took the liberty of buying you a bed and some linens, a few other small things to start you off."

They were both going to cry, she knew it, and she couldn't handle crying in front of the woman again, not so soon. Izayoi had listened to her vent about her mother once, she didn't need to know that somehow the woman still had a hold on her, and that she was affecting her relationship with Sesshoumaru.

"Thank you," She whispered, throwing her arms around the woman's neck and scrambling from the car, keys to her apartment in hand and bulky yellow bag on her shoulder. Waving and smiling cheerfully, as she walked away, she was almost happy Izayoi couldn't follow her in, couldn't be there when she took her first steps into the apartment and broke down.

The elevator was working, although it creaked and squealed as it always did. She stepped in, realized two seconds too late that she'd hit the button for the eighth floor and hit the button for the fifth as the doors screeched shut. Wheeling and the sound of metal whining grated on her ears, privided some distraction from the bubble of panic and fear that was working it's way up her throat and threatened to erupt as a scream.

The doors opened and she stepped out timidly, looking for the door with the 'C' hanging next to it. Immediately seeing it, she walked down and unlocked it, grateful that it seemed somewhat less dingy than Sesshoumaru's apartment as she stepped in. The walls only had a few water stains and they weren't as yellow. The floor plan was the same, perhaps a little smaller.

Izayoi had gotten her a short table and there were flowers in a simple purple glass vase, daisies. Setting her bag down she walked through to the kitchen. On the counter was a rice cooker with a steaming basket, and upon further inspection she found a few basic pots and pans and dishes and silverware. Out of idle curiosity she opened her fridge and found it stocked to the brim with more food than she could eat by herself before it went bad. Slightly stunned, she opened the freezer and saw that it too had been stocked.

More cabinets revealed non perishables and drawers opened to dishtowels. Tears burned her eyes and she blinked them back, determined to make it through the apartment before breaking down completely.

An unnatural silence echoed through her new home as she left the kitchen and walked down the hall. Her bathroom had been stocked with fluffy towels and scented soaps and toilet paper, small accoutrements she hadn't thought to grab from her home filled drawers. She reflected how so many small things made up life, things she hadn't taken the time to be aware of before. Brushes and q-tips, nail clippers and cotton balls.

Another steadying breath echoed in the room and she stepped back, almost afraid to see what had been provided for her in her bedroom. But the last door beckoned and she opened it, hand trembling and throat closing.

A simple dresser, a nightstand, a futon. Bright blue sheets were folded neatly and waiting to cover the bed. A bagged comforter and pillows still wrapped in plastic waited at the head. Another vase sat on the dresser and she noticed paper lying on it. Walking over on wooden legs she found it was an envelope with her name written on it. Fumbling fingers opened it and she ignored the thick stack of bills in favor of the paper folded next to them.

_'Kagome,_

_As much as you say it isn't, I still feel responsible for this in many ways. I know it seems vulgar to give you money like this, but I knew you wouldn't accept it if I tried to give it to you in person. Unfortunately all I can do to rectify my mistake is try to help you get on your feet and give you someone to talk to. Neither of which seems like enough, but it's all I have, and I hope you wouldn't deny me that small, selfish comfort. I know you left most of your life behind, and this is to help you rebuild some part of that._

_I know how hard things seem now. Not that long ago I lived in an apartment not much bigger than your own working as a secretary for a man that makes Sesshoumaru look like a teddy bear. I know things might seem hopeless, but I promise that they are not. Always remember that you have you, and that you are bright and beautiful._

_Izayoi'_

Unable to see past the tears blurring her vision she stumbled over to the futon and dropped down onto it, body jerking from the sobs she held in. But when no one came to the door, when she heard nothing but the vague sounds of life through the walls, she let out one small sniff, and then another, and another. Within moments loud sobs twisted in her throat and erupted from her mouth, echoed in the emptiness of a room that felt too foreign, too empty to be her own.

* * *

He ignored his half brother as he typed away at the mockup of a business plan his teacher had assigned him, brows furrowed as he tried to unravel a tangle in calculations. It wasn't until he heard stomping and felt the weight of a disapproving glare that he paused and looked up, saw Inu Yasha staring down at him, face set in angry lines.

"Five C?" He asked, somewhat loudly. Nodding once he gave an okay and closed his phone, somehow managed to look even more pissed off.

"What did you do?"

"What are you talking about?" He asked, not understanding what was going on.

"Kagome. She just called and asked me to drop off some fuel."

He immediately throttled the surge of hot jealousy that rose like bible in his throat and struggled to remain indifferent.

"Then she needs fuel. Go."

"What the fuck did you do?"

"Nothing."

"Obviously something if she's calling me," Inu Yasha huffed angrily. "She sounds like a damn mess and you're just sitting here like nothing's wrong. You dick, she's your girlfriend, isn't she?"

"She asked for space," He snapped, not liking the jabs one bit and hating himself for even responding to them. "I have been giving it to her."

"Space from what?"

"To think," He replied, forcing himself to calm down, to be cool and detached. However, after twenty years, his half brother had learned what got to him and how to implement such tactics.

"She's living in this building, she sounds fucking freaked out and you're giving her space? What the fuck? Do you know _anything_ about women? When they ask for space and something bad is happening that you didn't do, they actually need someone to talk to you fucking dumb ass."

He tried to remind himself that Kagome was not other women, that she didn't act like other women he'd met.

But it didn't make his brother's logic any less correct.

Wait. In their building?

"She lives here?"

His question must have triggered something, because his half brother was stomping over to the metal cabinets and pulling out fuel, cursing so loudly he was sure their neighbors to the sides, above and below could hear it quite clearly. Before the gutter mouthed halfwit could reach the door he was standing and taking the bottle from his hand, eyes narrowed in distaste.

"Five C?" He bit out.

"Yeah. She needs someone, and for some reason she likes you, so be nice. Her life just got as fucked as ours did."

With that uncomfortable comparison lingering in the air, he tossed the bottle in his bag and shouldered it before leaving his apartment and scowling brother behind. Ignoring the elevator completely, he took the stairs two at a time, all the while wondering why she had called his brother first and why she hadn't mentioned that she was in his building of all places.

When he reached the fifth floor he walked over and knocked, determined to get an answer. But when the door opened she was a bleary, red eyed mess. She looked like she'd been crying for days and her shock at seeing him was strangely hurtful. It was almost as if she didn't want to see him, and with that assumption in mind he fiddled with his bag and pulled out the bottle of fuel, offering it to her.

"Oh, thanks," She mumbled, staring at the bottle but making no move to take it.

"When did you move in?"

"Today. Your mother picked it out."

When she still made no move to take the bottle he tucked it back in the back and repressed a sigh.

"May I come in?"

She stepped to the side and he walked past her, not surprised in the least to see small touches around the apartment, pieces of furnishings that were simple and subtle Nothing screamed money, but he could tell what was there was new and well made. The door closed behind him and he turned, saw that she seemed smaller, somehow.

Dropping his bag by hers, he took her chin and forced her to look up, immediately feeling the first needles of regret.

Perhaps he had been unrealistic in his expectations of her. Her life had just been turned upside down, and perhaps her request for space had, in some sot of strange logic, or lack thereof, been a request for comfort. When she refused to meet his gaze he repressed another sigh, realizing it to be not just assumption, but truth.

"Kagome-"

"I can get a different place," She said, the words bursting out of her like steam, all breath and little volume. "Izayoi-"

"You're fine here," He interrupted quietly, wondering why it felt like he mentally flinched when she looked so surprised. Her next action, hugging him so tightly he wondered how she didn't break one of his ribs, shocked him even more. They'd embraced before, but this felt different, was more desperate and needy. A part of him (a huge part) balked at her obvious neediness. Another part of him rationalized that Inu Yasha had been correct. Her life had changed drastically, and it was no secret that she had few friendships to fall back on. If anything, it was natural for her to hold to him.

And, the small voice whispered in the very back of his mind, it soothed the small pinprick of jealousy that had flared when she had called his brother first.

"I'm sorry for being so stupid."

"Your life is very different now," He murmured, bringing an arm around her, feeling strangely protective when she only tightened her hold on him.

"It's so quiet here," She mumbled into his chest. "It doesn't feel like home."

If there had been a proper place to sit, he would have taken her and cuddled her, but there wasn't, so he stood, feeling awkward and useless. He didn't know what constituted a home, because every home he had lived in had been quiet save for dinner parties and the confrontations between himself and his half brother. He doubted she craved that sort of noise.

"Some people have house warming parties," He murmured absentmindedly, immediately wishing he hadn't said a word. But she seemed to relax a bit, and when she looked up at him, her eyes shimmered with a wary sort of hope.

"A house warming party? But I don't, I mean, I'm not a party girl."

"But you have friends, and a new home," He reasoned, knowing immediately what could and would happen. Despite that, the distraction was working. The idea itself seemed to appeal to her, and though it had not abated, the sorrow seemed to lessen.

"I think it would be nice," She murmured at last, ducking her head and mumbling into his shirt.

"What's that?"

"I need help getting stuff for here," She sighed, turning her face so that she wasn't speaking into his chest. "I don't know what to do."

Immediately he understood her meaning and looked around. His mother had obviously bought some things, but apparently not all.

"What do you need?"

"I don't know."

Frustration.

"What do you have?"

"A lot?"

He resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose and instead took her hand and began exploring the apartment. After doing a quick study, he found that her apartment was better stocked than his own in just about every way, and that she lacked a few simple pieces of furniture and clothing, as well as the small things that personalized an apartment, things he didn't even own but knew she would want given her feelings about her new place.

Fuel forgotten, he watched her pocket the envelope of money his step mother had given her and followed her out, reminding her to lock both locks and pocket her key.

* * *

She juggled bags while digging for her keys and tried not to mutter as she did so, acutely aware of his eyes on her. The whole day had felt strange, something intimate that neither of them had acknowledged aloud. But shopping for a couch, picking out a shower curtain, an entrance rug, all of it was so utterly mundane, so strange and typical of couples that for a moment she had felt a surge of panic, one she recognized as her mother's doing. Several times she had reminded herself that she was not moving in with Sesshoumaru, he was only helping her.

Not that he had said much.

The door open she walked in and dropped the bags on the table, grateful to get rid of so much dead weight. Some basic staples of clothing and small household things Izayoi had overlooked thumped and some of the bags sprang open, contents spilling out.

The apartment still felt hollow, empty. Unwelcoming.

"It's almost dark."

Did that mean he was leaving? Despite her mother's voice whispering warnings in the back of her head, the fear of being alone was louder, drowning out the warning and giving her emotions a desperate edge.

"You asked for fuel," He added, looking at her strangely, as if she'd done something crazy. Trying to school her features into something calmer, she nodded, almost afraid to hope.

"We can walk to the park, it's not far."

We. The word sent a wave of relief through her, one that almost broke her composure as giddiness replaced worry.

"Let me change," She murmured. He nodded and she grabbed one of the clothing bags before running back to her room. For a moment she felt disoriented stepping into the room and seeing something so different from her room back home. A wave of homesickness washed over her, flavored with a dose of fear.

"Get it together," She whispered to herself, dropping the bag on the still uncovered futon and digging through it. A pair of jeans, a bit looser than her normal pants, and a tank top, something her mother had never been very comfortable buying for her. The clothes were, in their way, a small victory, a reminder that she had gained something, even if it was something as silly as more comfortable jeans and a shirt that bared her shoulders.

When she was finished and stepped back out, she was grateful to see him still there, unsure why she had been afraid to begin with.

"Ready?"

She nodded, stomach feeling strangely light as she grabbed her prop bag and keys.

"Make sure to lock both locks," He reminded her quietly. She nodded and did as he said, flushing hotly. She'd rarely worried about locking doors before, there had never been a need to. Her mother and grandfather had always been the ones to hold the keys, to lock the doors.

Having them in her pocket was another solid reality, Sesshoumaru's reminder driving home that she was responsible for her own home. Her sudden fear was laced with a sense of giddiness. Her home, her keys. Hers.

"You're smiling strangely."

"I've never had my own keys."

They took the stairs instead of the elevator, and she fought the urge to giggle, unsure why she felt the need to do so in the first place. However, as they walked to the park, she couldn't keep the slight skip out of her step, and for once she had no problems keeping up with Sesshoumaru's long legged stride.

With each step the world around them seemed to grow darker, but her own steps grew lighter. The park was only a few blocks away, and when they got there she noticed two lights, dim and smoky, on over the basketball court. The sound of jeering and a basketball bouncing echoed through the darkness. Otherwise the park itself was empty.

"We forgot a towel," She sighed.

"Then you'll have to keep going until the fire goes out," He murmured quietly as he sat the bag down on the sidewalk and began opening the fuel bottle. She pulled the basin from her bag and three fans and watched while he poured fuel over the prop wicks.

"You're happy."

"I am. And afraid."

"Afraid?"

"Weren't you, just a little, when you were first out on your own?"

"No."

His blunt response made her laugh a little. She supposed he wasn't often afraid, if ever. He seemed so in control of everything, and she couldn't help but envy him. Even though she had been trying to block it out, the argument between herself and her mother. The accusation that she was out of control still hung in her mind, made her wonder if she actually was out of control.

"Am I out of control?" She asked as they waited for the props to soak. The question itself was absentminded, and she hadn't meant to ask it. But his light sigh made her wary, made her hope she hadn't said something stupid.

"We all decide how we act, even if those decisions are influenced."

"I don't understand," She admitted quietly.

"You've always been in control of yourself and your decisions, even if it was the decision to let your mother's fears and wants lead you."

He'd quashed one fear and replaced it with something else, something she couldn't name but knew she didn't like.

"You have made the choice to be free. Don't let fear replace your mother's voice."

How had he known?

"They're ready."

She was quiet as they flicked the fans and she held two in one hand while he lit them.

"Perhaps this can mark a new start," He murmured, barely heard over the hissing of the flames as he accepted the fan. "It's your life now, if you want it to be."

He was so quiet, but there was so much strength in his words, and she wondered if, for a moment, he had ever made such a delineation.

"For the both of us," She said, more than asked. His expression was shuttered for a moment, although she wasn't sure if it was the shadows or her imagination, the strange bewilderment that flashed across his features, but when he nodded, she smiled, laughed breathlessly.

If it was a new start, a new life, maybe she could allow herself to depend on him, just a little, could allow herself to care about him without being afraid and without losing her independence.

As if someone had cut tethers that had been holding her to the ground, she leapt, delighting in the feel of her muscles bunching and releasing energy.

In a strange moment of whimsy she thought of the phoenix, and though she'd never thought of it before, she realized fire changed everything it touched. Even now it was changing her, washing away her fear.

Wanting him to be a part of that, wanting to pull him in, she danced around him, leapt and spun.

"Dance with me!"

* * *

"Dance with me!"

Her breathy, pitched shout was filled with laughter as she spun around him, sometimes coming so close he could feel the fire ghosting over his skin. Her eyes were unnaturally bright in the flickering brightness of the flames and he could see her smile. Every time he'd ever seen her she looked nervous at first, then content, or even half feral, but he'd never seen the giddy, exuberant smile before.

He'd said the words to calm her down knowing the fears that lingered. It seemed that she had taken his words to heart, if her declarations were anything to go by.

It was too late for a new beginning for him, months and months too late. But he was different, was changed by the fire that had entered his life. For a brief moment he wanted for it to consume everything. Would it really be so bad to be drawn in, just for a moment?

"Come on Sesshoumaru!"

She was beautiful like this, more beautiful than she had ever been. Freedom suited her, and he wanted that jubilant peace.

Feeling daring and strange he whirled and spun around her, earning a delighted, breathless shriek of surprise when he kept his movements wild and unpredictable. It was the antithesis to everything he'd learned growing up, the opposite of everything he had done for months.

They were storms of movement and he felt himself drawn towards her knowing with unshakeable certainty that if they crashed against one another, this time he would come away different, changed. Perhaps he might come away as free as she was.

Recklessly throwing himself into the fray and losing himself to the roar of the fire combining with the sound of his blood thundering in his ears and beneath his skin until he felt like he was moving above the ground. Every moment of powerlessness he'd felt for months was gone, the stranger emerging from the shadows and shame with a triumphant roar that exploded from his chest and left him breathless and lightheaded. Despite the noise he heard a soft sigh, saw her lips open lightly, and imagined kissing her then.

His training in the dojo helped him get closer and closer to her until she had to keep her arms spread wide as she leapt back again and again, dodging his attempts to kiss her.

"Kagome," He demanded, surprised when his voice, still raw from his shouting, came out almost like a growl. But it was enough to stop her and he pressed his advantage, barely remembering to keep the fire fan away from their bodies as his lips moved against hers.

And he was lost. She was warmth and fire and purity and everything he wanted to drown in. Far from being clumsy, her kisses were smooth and pulled him in deeper, wound around him until all he could taste or smell or feel was her. A moan echoed into the kiss, moved between their lips and tangled on their tongues until he couldn't remember if it had started in her throat or his own.

A catcall sounded over their breathing and he pulled back, eyes on hers as her lids fluttered open to reveal dazed blue eyes barely discernible in the darkness. More catcalls and cheers echoed through the park and he turned, saw the kids from the basketball court standing less than twenty feet away, clapping and shouting out for more fire.

Dimly he realized that the fire had gone out and they were standing in whorls of smoke that drifted up to the sky.

"Come on," She breathed, taking the fan and running for her bag. She was scrambling with the props and the fuel before he understood her intent, was running to the park entrance, her laughter floating behind her like a banner.

Still feeling light and like he was going to explode from his skin he gave chase, ignoring the teenagers behind him as he went after her. She had gained a black on him but was about to take a wrong turn when he caught her wrist and pulled her to him. Like an eel she slipped away and continued on, and feeling playful, he let her have a few seconds of a head start before he lunged back into the chase.

When he caught her again she was desperately pressing the button to the elevator, glancing over her shoulder as her finger kept pressing it. With only a few long strides he'd closed the gap between them and grabbed her face.

Her lips burned his own and when the elevator doors squealed open he pushed her back, refusing to break the kiss as his hand fumbled at the button panel.

A ding sounded and the elevator doors squealed open, and they stumbled out in a tangle of limbs and gasps, falling against the wall outside of it and leaning against it as they made their way slowly towards his door. A door opened and they almost fell into someone's apartment, Sesshoumaru barely catching her as they broke their kiss long enough to stare at the obviously surprised tenant, an older woman with her mouth hung open in surprise.

"Get a damn room!" The woman snapped before slamming the door, earning a giggle from Kagome, which turned into a moan as Sesshoumaru's mouth descended on her own again. They made their way lazily towards the door, and his body ached, the softness of her pressing against him and igniting heat everywhere she touched.

They both smelled like the fuel, sweat and smoke and he was positive he'd never been so turned on by scent alone. That he would never have found such a scent attractive before the hellish year long punishment had begun didn't bother him, didn't even cross his mind. He fumbled for his keys in his pocket, her soft body pressed between his own and the door and lips still pressed against his own. Once retrieved, he started pressing one into the lock, wanting to curse when it didn't fit.

The next one did, and the door swung open, almost toppling the both of them. He kept them upright, barely remembering to pull the key from the door before he slammed it shut with his foot as their bags and props thumped onto the floor. Neither noticed the dinghy walls or the noise filtering through them. Instead they stumbled down the narrow hall to his room. She pulled away long enough to start tugging up his shirt, making small exasperated noises when it tangled with his long hair. With a swift yank, she had it over his head.

Her shirt finally came off with her help, exposing smooth, creamy flesh encased in a startlingly innocent, plain white bra. With a front clasp.

He wanted to gloat, but didn't have the time, her hands threading into his hair and pulling his face back to hers. Once their lips met, her hands ventured elsewhere, spanning over his chest and shoulders. When her palm caressed the scarred end of his stump, he didn't flinch, and neither did she.

Pulling his lips away, he tugged her higher up his body, and instinctively understanding his intent she wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing her groin to his own. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, kissing and tasting her as he pressed her between a wall and himself, hand sliding up her thigh. Needing to hold something, to grip and keep some tenuous hold on reality, he grabbed her thigh tightly, understanding that she'd bruise but unable to help it.

Her hips bucked and the arms around his neck tightened as she began moving against him, grinding her groin against his own and panting breathlessly. The strangled noises coming from her throat only goaded him further, making him move against her. A sharp cry was more than enough to encourage his ministrations, and he bit down hard on her shoulder, body surging lustily when she only moaned encouragement. As she neared her peak, he pulled back, intent on seeing her as she came. What he had imagined was nothing compared to what he saw.

Her lips were bruised and slick from his kisses, and half lidded blue eyes were glazed over with lust. Her breath escaped in short pants, sometimes interspersed with the first half of her name before another moan would escape. Blue eyes fixed on his hazel ones, and for a moment it felt like they were both completely naked to one another, and he saw everything she was and knew she could see just as much of him.

When she came her moan could have been his name or a plea for more.

She was still dazed and he could barely hold onto her as he moved from the wall and towards his room. Kicking it open carelessly, he didn't even notice the sound of splintering wood or the fact that the door no longer stayed closed when he kicked it shut behind him. He focused only on the lusting, wanting, heady woman wrapped around him and every horrible, awful, sinful thing he wanted to do to her. Dropping to his knees on the futon, he leaned over, placing her gently on the thin cushioning. When she whimpered as he pulled away, he bit the inside of the arm still clinging to his shoulder.

The arm dropped away obediently, and he looked down at her. She wasn't nearly naked enough for him. Refusing to let his supposed disability affect him now, he made short work of removing her pants and panties, last of all her bra. He flung the clothes away and was satisfied when he saw the lights from outside shining down on her pale skin, casting it in a blue wash.

Leaning down he buried his face in her neck, inhaling the scent of her. The overwhelming need to posses, to own every inch of her drove him to bite down on the sensitive skin, harder than he had intended. Feeling dark and feral, he held on, hips grinding into hers as he sucked on the skin, goaded by the gasping noises and the feel of her breasts pressing into his chest.

"I want you," He finally told her, voice dark and rough. "I want you." He would say anything to avoid telling the truth. That she was his, would always be his. No matter who touched her after he was gone, he was her first, and would be her best. That he would leave an indelible mark on her, branding her as his property forever. That he instinctively knew she was marking him just as effectively, stripping away his defenses with the honest generosity of her lust, and that when he left her no one else was going to compare.

His manhood brushed against the slickness of her, the heat almost undoing him as she rolled her hips, mewling softly. Each undulation of her body pushed her against him again, covering him in her wetness.

"Please, please, Sesshoumaru," She breathed over and over as he teased her, teased himself with the brief moments of friction. "I need you," She gasped in a desperate, strangled whisper.

'I need you.' The words crumbled his resolve, and he moved his hips till he was positioned at her entrance, pushing against her opening. Unsure of he could survive the unbearable tightness of her as he began pushing in, he groaned harshly into her neck before moving to capture her lips with his own. Little whimpers rose up from her throat and escaped into his mouth, vibrating and mixed with the sound of his harsh breathing. Knowing he'd hurt her regardless, when he encountered the proof of her innocence, he thrust his hips forward, tearing past it and burying himself completely in her.

A strangled cry erupted as she pulled back from him, eyes glistening brightly with the sudden welling of her tears. Grinding his teeth, he forced himself to stay still, her warmth pulsing gently around him, tensing and relaxing, then tensing again, a sensual torture in and of itself. Whispering nonsense words that were barely more than noises, he kissed her cheeks, nibbled her earlobe before working back, moving to her lips.

When she fully relaxed around him, he pulled back an inch experimentally. When her hips moved with his and her arms moved to circle his neck, he continued, pulling out almost entirely before gliding back in. Sweet friction sent bursts of electricity all along his body. He felt her gripping him, throbbing around him, felt her slick skin sliding against his own, shuddered when her tongue ran over his bottom lips before tangling with his own again.

Instinctively she wrapped her legs around his hips and held tight as he stroked in and out of her, trying to go slow and give her time to adjust to the invasion. Their kiss vibrated with the clashing, mixing sounds of pleasure. Greedy in her innocence, her hips tilted up and her legs tightened, trying to quicken the pace. Holding back, he continued slowly, determined to bring her to pleasure as many times as he could that night. With strangled slowness, he thrust in and out, teetering on the edge of his control.

"Sesshoumaru," She keened, muscles twitching around him. "Please," She whimpered, hands tightening in his hair. "Please, please, please," She pleaded, voice rising as he purposefully slowed down, drawing it out as long as he could before thrusting into her deeply, his control breaking as her moan turned into a gasp. Bucking into her with fast, full strokes, he tried to hold back, feeling his muscles tense with with the effort. Spiraling deeper and deeper into the darkness, the breathless utterance of his name undid him, her nails digging into his back as she spasmed around his shaft, the walls of her femininity clenching down and trying to hold him in as he quickened his pace further. The darkness shattered, white light blinding him as a guttural, dark noise rose from somewhere in his chest, ripping itself from his throat as he emptied himself into her.

Dazed, he paused for a moment, looking down at her flushed face and swollen, parted lips as she panted beneath him. She still quivered around him, twitching pleasurably.

"So warm," She breathed. "Sesshoumaru-" She began, stopping when he pulled back, still hard and sat, crossing his legs and pulling her onto his lap. The confusion in her eyes dissipated as he guided her onto him, stretching her and filling her from a new angle. For a moment they stayed that way, her legs wrapping around his waist and arms around his chest.

"Everything's so hot," She whimpered, burying her face at the juncture of his neck and shoulder. "So full."

Her innocent words, desperate and hot, burned through him and spurred his movements. Wrapping hi arm around her waist, he began shifting his hips back and forth, guiding her to do the same. Her legs unwrapped and suddenly she was moving over him, lifting herself and dropping back down slowly. Her back arched towards his body, seemingly offering her breasts to his attention. Unable to deny himself, he groaned and latched onto a nipple, sucking and nipping it. Her movements increased in response, an animistic cry escaping her throat.

When her body began spasming around him again, he pulled away from her breasts and watching her as she came, mouth open in a moan and eyes wide, as if it surprised her. Feeling savage and desperate, his arm tightened around her waist and began dragging her down as she lifted herself. Sweat slicked their skin and mixed with the scent of their coupling, filling the room.

Tenderness burned away as he buried himself in her again and again, wanting to brand her, leave his mark on her forever. Without a second thought he was losing himself in her, escaping into her, finding a euphoric peace in every inch of her being. Coherent thought fled as her moans turned into screams and she jackknifed against him, back arching so steeply that he had to jerk her forward to keep her from falling backwards.

"Look at me," He commanded roughly, tone penetrating the fog of her euphoria. Blue eyes stormy with lust locked gazes with his, spurring him on further. Unable to look away, he thrust himself up into her, a snarl escaping, laced with her name. Blue seemed to pool and widen, pulling him in deeper until there was nothing but her in the world, her skin, her sex, even her breath burning him, consuming greedily.

"Sesshoumaru." It came out in a half sob, her body signaling it's imminent release as she began trembling. His own body tightened, tensed and ready. Grounding himself in the feel of her sweat soaked skin against his cheek, he felt his seed spilling into her as she came one last time before going completely limp, shudders and shivers running down her spine as she leaned into him, breath coming in irregular panting gasps. He let her cling to him like a lifeline, her legs wrapping back around his waist and settling her form on his, and she let him bury his face in the junction of her neck and shoulder, his body trembling as he held on, inhaling in deep shaky breaths.

When he finally moved to lay her down, withdrawing fully from her body, she reached out to him, pulling him down with her and snuggling into his body, a sleepy half smile tilting up the corners of her mouth. He kissed on corner and pulled back, unable to fight the dreamy lethargy weighting down his eyelids.

* * *

**A/N:** I remember when I first moved out, I was excited, but I had also begun buying things for myself long before moving out, so it was habit. But there was a sort of strangeness at first, as I settled in.

Does this mean Kagome is moving in with Sesshoumaru and they're going to live happily ever after? No. This just means I can really start screwing with their heads.

As always, I love your reviews and thank you all for taking the time. I'm sorry I haven't gotten back personally, but they are checked and re-read when I need a confidence boost with this story.


	17. Turbulence

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 17: Turbulence**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the rights to Inu Yasha or to Monada's music.

Okay. Okay. I know. I've been letting this languish. But because Kayelyn is so full of awesome and smart, she gets this as a present for making an A on her test. And because I had to rewrite EVERYTHING after my openoffice committed suicide and took my files with it, the muses came back and decided it's time for this story to get it's due. So expect weekly updates once again. This story is no longer on hiatus. I am sorry this is short, but things will be moving along after this.

* * *

When she woke it was to the sound of vivid cursing.

"Seriously? Don't you have your own fucking apartment to do that shit at?" Inu Yasha's voice shouted angrily. Unable to stop her smile, she looked up at Sesshoumaru, who was looking down at her with a smirk dancing on his lips.

"We need to shower," He suggested.

"He'd go crazy if we did it here," She snickered.

"All the more reason," He chuckled dryly. She pushed at his shoulder playfully before burrowing back into his chest, delighted by the scent of them still emanating from his skin. Inhaling deeply she imagined she could taste the both of them and their night. Sweat and sex and smoke.

"Hey guys, when you're done being all cozy, Miroku called. Another gig, good money!"

"I guess that's our cue," She sighed, wishing she could have stayed in bed a bit longer.

"Your shirt is still in the hallway."

She had completely forgotten about that.

"You can wear one of mine," He sighed as he stood. Once again she was unable to stop her smile as she watched him stretch and walk over to his dresser. Moving for the crumpled heap of her pants she groaned when pain flared up in her groin.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Umm, yeah. I'm fine," She murmured, trying to ignore the pain and grabbing her pants. Feeling inexplicably shy, she pulled them on under the covers and accepted the shirt he tossed at her, pulling it on quickly. When she stood the sharp pain doubled and she took an experimental step, flinching when the movement only made it worse.

"The pain will fade in a day, perhaps two," Sesshoumaru murmured quietly.

They walked out into the living area, surprised to see Inu Yasha working at his computer at a furious rate.

"They want something big, really showy. Miroku said they're willing to cover all of our expenses. They want us out on Kozushima. Big crowd, apparently, some sort of business dinner. He didn't catch a company name though."

"Has he met with them?"

"Some peon, he said. But the money is in order. It's in a couple of weeks. We won't be able to do anything for the day before, they're paying for a hotel so we can get used to the area the night before, change the routine to accommodate the space if need be. Miroku hit the jackpot this time. Silver tongued asshole," Inu Yasha chuckled as he scrolled through a website.

"I don't get it," Kagome admitted as she watched Sesshoumaru discreetly grabbing their clothing and taking it back to his room.

"You guys used protection right?" Inu Yasha asked in a quiet voice, changing the topic abruptly.

"What?" She stuttered, surprised by his sudden furious expression.

"You know, protection," He hissed.

That hadn't even occurred to her. Panic, pure, adrenaline fueled panic lanced through her as the realization dawned on her.

She had just done the one thing her mother had been terrified of her doing.

"Shit, shit, SESSHOUMARU!" Inu Yasha shouted as he stood, obviously reading her terrified expression as the answer it was. "You son of a bitch!"

Sesshoumaru walked back in looking as apathetic as ever. She looked to him, dread immediately forming a brick in her stomach while her heart beat frantically in her chest.

"What now?"

"She was a virgin, so it's understandable. But you fucking know better. Go get her the morning after pill fucking now!" Inu Yasha shouted. "Right goddamned now! And use fucking protection next time you get cozy."

In the span of ten minutes she had gone from euphoric to panicked to mortified. Inu Yasha's curse ridden rage was entirely justified, but no less humiliating. Perhaps it was all the more so for it's justification, for it's honesty.

She had, within days of leaving her mother's home, slept with someone without protection.

What had she been thinking?

"We will go get it now," Sesshoumaru said, face it's normal, calm, cool mask. How could he be so calm? Had he considered it, even before she had? Had he been thinking of it the night before?

"Go. Both of you, just-" Inu Yasha muttered, glaring at them both before running both hands through his shock white hair. "Fucking go. Now."

Her shoes were quickly collected, she didn't even bother with her socks, and she rushed out of the door, putting them on once she had gotten out of the apartment. Inu Yasha's ire still hung in the air, thick and sharp. Sesshoumaru's cool indifference clashed against it, following her outside and to the elevator. And all the while the throbbing pain in her groin persisted.

"I apologize, I wasn't thinking last night."

"I should have thought about it," She muttered, growing angry with herself. Again and again she thought about what her mother would say, about what she had done. It had been stupid and reckless and for all she knew, she had just doomed herself to the same fate her mother had, maybe even worse. There was no guarantee Sesshoumaru would want to stay with her. In fact, there was no guarantee he even felt like she did about the night before. There was little doubt that he had slept with other women, and for all she knew, giving him her virginity might not even be a big deal.

"We both should have."

He sounded as angry as she felt, and though his words weren't an accusation, they still felt like one. She wanted to hit something, wanted to shout at herself in the mirror, maybe even shout at him. He should have remembered, he had slept with other women, he knew how to be safe, at least she hoped he did. But it couldn't be helped, and as they took the elevator down she tried to look anywhere but at him.

The drive to the small pharmacy nearby proved to be just as quiet, and when he parked he looked at her, mouth open to say something before he stopped.

"Stay here."

"Why?" She hadn't meant for it to come out so clipped, so brittle and bitter, but it had come out that way, and his eyes narrowed angrily.

"I assumed you would not want to face the pharmacist and ask for something like that. But if you want to, feel free," He added, voice chilly.

The words almost came out before logic came crashing down on her, effectively halting anything she would have said.

He was trying to save her the humiliation of asking a stranger for emergency birth control. And it would be humiliating. Despite the fact that she was ready to break down from nervousness or sheer self disappointment, voiced entirely in her mother's voice no less, she recognized that he was attempting to help.

"Please, thank you," She answered quietly, not daring to look him in the eye. She felt the car shift, heard the door open and close, eyes still fastened on the dashboard.

Her mother's voice bore down on her. All of those warnings, all of those fears, they had turned out to be right. Given the first chance, the first taste of freedom, and she had slept with someone. And not even responsibly!

Running a hand through her hair, she tried to block out the sound of her mother's voice saying 'I told you so' while also trying to figure out what she would say, how she was supposed to act. Even as she was scrambling for something to say, anything, the door opened and he got back in a bag dropping in his lap as he pulled out a small box and a bottle of water.

"Here," He told her quietly. She took the box and looked down at it. The characters on it only said emergency contraception. Not even looking at the rest, she opened it and pulled out the plastic and foil package. There were two pills.

"You take one now and one in twelve hours," He commented quietly. She nodded, popping the pill through the foil and popping it in her mouth, grimacing at the bitter taste. He handed her the water bottle, top already off, and she quickly drank from it, swallowing the pill and washing the taste out of her mouth. When the bottle was half empty, she finally sat it between her legs, feeling only slightly better now that she had taken a step to keep her mother's voice at bay.

"I apologize for not thinking last night."

He seemed, sounded, sorry. In fact, he sounded angry with himself, wasn't even looking at her when she dared a quick glance in his direction.

"We both should have thought of it. But, I mean, thanks," She finished lamely. "For not making me go in there," She tried adding, although it came out pitched and cracking, the very thought of having to purchase something like that making her nauseous and dizzy.

He said nothing, instead choosing to start the car and drive them back to their apartment building. She kept her gaze on the world outside, wondering, in a very strange sort of haze, how many other women had been as stupid as she had, how many women were buying the same pill that day. It kept the stern reprimands her mother would have rained down on her away, but the dizziness remained, increased.

By the time he parked, she felt like her head was filled with air and her stomach with butterflies, unpleasant, angry butterflies. Taking extra care with the pill box, she opened her door and stood, immediately wishing she hadn't. The painful throbbing in her groin combined with an unpleasant nausea and dizziness that made the world pitch beneath her feet. Letting out a strangled sound, she clung to the car door. Heat flashed through her followed by a wave of cold.

"Kagome?" He asked, and she looked up, surprised to see him standing in front of her.

"I don't feel well," She admitted, hating herself for whimpering but unable to speak any louder for fear she'd vomit. And despite the vertigo and heaving of the world beneath her feet, she knew she could not throw up, or else the pill might not work.

Despite the tension that had been hanging between them only minutes before, he took the box from her and tucked it into his pants pocket before wrapping his arm around her waist, bag on his wrist. She stumbled against him, barely noticing when he used his foot to close the car door.

Grateful for the strength he was offering, even if it was only as a physical support, she tried to walk steadily, failed, and leaned against him. His arm tightened around her waist as they headed for the elevator, and for a terrified minute she was afraid it wasn't working. The prospect of the stairs filling her with dread, she breathed a -tiny- sigh of relief when the doors squealed open.

The metal walls were cold against her face, blessedly cold and soothed the heat that had begun throbbing under her skin.

"Do you have your keys?"

"Pocket," She whispered, pressing her cheek against the metal, soaking up the chill. The door squealed shut and she closed her eyes, swallowing convulsively as her stomach fought her will. The elevators motions seemed all the more jerky, all the more unsettling as it went up, and when the doors squealed open, it sounded like nails on a chalkboard, echoing in her head.

His arm wrapped around her shoulder and he guided her to her door. Fumbling, she pushed her hand into her pocket and pulled her keys out, murmuring a quiet thank you when his arm tightened, keeping her upright. In the next several minutes he had walked her to her room and pushed the folded sheets and bagged comforter off, helped her lay down.

But when he disappeared she almost lost what little of her composure she had left. Feeling abandoned, she almost got back up, fighting the heavy feeling pressing down on her as the floor rocked back and forth under her body.

She was supporting herself on her hands when he came back in. A disapproving sound rumbled in his throat and he was kneeling, pushing her back down onto the mattress. Something cool and damp pressed on her forehead. Blissfully cool, she soaked it in, eyes closing as the dizziness abated by a small degree.

"I'm sorry."

"The package says a side affect is dizziness," He explained quietly. "I did not think it would come so soon, if at all."

Within minutes she felt a cramp begin near her stomach and moaned, immediately wishing that, like other girls, she had gotten cramps during her period to prepare her for what she was feeling now. Hot and cold warred in her body, cycling through so quickly it felt like she was being tortured.

"I never want to do this again," She groaned as a shiver wracked her body.

"There is still another pill to take," He reminded her. Immediately she wanted to cry, the idea of enduring her current state again more than enough to make her regret her impulsive lack of forethought.

"Never let me do that again," She muttered.

"Have sex?" He asked, smirking down at her. Feeling miserable enough for ten people, she tried to muster a glare, knew she didn't succeed when his brow arched. It was a look she had grown too familiar with and wanted desperately to wipe off of his face.

"Sure. Never again."

"I bought condoms as well."

"Arrogant," She muttered as another wave of nausea rolled through her.

"I could return them."

At the moment she didn't even want to think about sex. Didn't want to think at all. Even speaking was beginning to take it's toll. Her jaws clenched as she fought the urge to be ill, and her stomach rebelled, bile surging up in her throat.

"I'm sorry," He offered again.

"Me too," She muttered through clenched teeth. "If not for this it would have been perfect."

He was quiet after that, standing minutes later and leaving her to endure the side affects of the pill. When he returned she was shivering violently, and the cool cloth only made it worse. The sound of the bag being torn open didn't register, but when the comforter covered her, she gladly let him tuck it around her body.

"Thank you," She stuttered out through the tremors that wracked her body with tiny convulsions. He seemed not to understand her, and it took her three tries to stutter out an explanation. "For staying."

He nodded but said nothing, wiping her face periodically and watching her. Eternities passed as her body fought the foreign sensations. When fatigue crept over her, through the nausea and began pressing down on her, she closed her eyes and prayed for sleep.

* * *

When she fell asleep he leaned back, using his hand to support him before slowly letting it slide from beneath him. Now that the initial crisis had passed and she was asleep, he was able to fully step back from her panic and look at the hovering, tangled mass of his own.

What he had done was foolish, unforgivable. In minutes he had forgotten everything that was important and had acted on impulse, on emotion. And it had nearly ended in disaster. Surely he would have realized, quickly, that they had not used protection. But minutes mattered when using emergency escapes, and had it not been for his half brother, normally the king of impulsive decisions and thoughtless action, he might not have thought about it all day. He certainly doubted she would have.

And it could have ruined everything. Months of work and effort, infinite sacrifices. All of it could have been canceled out in a matter of seconds. It still could. He would stay with her, would make sure she took the second pill. He'd even stay for the duration of whatever side affects followed. But the truth remained. It was still possible she become pregnant. The pills could fail.

And what then?

He didn't want to think about those choices. None of them, absolutely none of them were good. Not only would they question morals he had never even considered before, but they would permanently affect the both of them.

Running a hand over his face he tried to remember what had been the moment, the exact second he had stopped being a rational, logical creature and had changed into an impulsive moron.

He hadn't been with a woman, with anyone on any level in almost a year, not since his father had exiled him. Since the first time they'd kissed he'd been aware of how long it had been, and perhaps the strangeness and events of the week before had set it off, finally culminating in a lapse in judgment.

It was a sound, logical explanation, and he needed logical. The abrupt crash into reality had left him off balance and listing strangely, the whole experience almost too much. He'd brushed against panic for the first time in memory. Not even when the paramedics had been peeling away the sleeve and taking flesh with it had he panicked.

He sat back up and watched Kagome, her face pale and lips slightly parted in sleep. Now that he had gotten it out of his system, things would go back to normal, wouldn't they? He grasped that idea, stalwartly held fast to it. Now that they had broken the sexual tension, things would go back to normal. He could focus on work and school and keeping the business going a little longer, and even help her build the beginning of a new life.

And then leave her to it.

Leaving. That thought brought back memories of the night before, memories he wasn't entirely comfortable with. The intensity of his want might have been from months of abstinence, but he'd be lying to himself if he said he'd ever wanted to mark someone completely, had escaped into the moment so thoroughly nothing else had mattered. It had started with him knowing he would leave, and it had ended with him vanishing somewhere in the sensations that had engulfed him. At some point between the two he had lost sight of the future.

He wanted to leave now, wanted to get some space between himself and the woman lying on the futon, miserable even in sleep. But she had thanked him for staying, and he was partially to blame for the situation. Mostly to blame. The night before she had been innocent and unaware. He could make no such claim.

Needing at least some physical distance, even if it was only a few more feet, he stood and grabbed the washcloth and walked back to the kitchen. Quietly washing out the rag wringing it out, he examined the changes of the past twenty four hours, glossing over what felt dangerously like the beginnings of attachment and focusing on how dynamics could change in the troupe, or if they would at all.

A knock sounded at the door. Curious, he walked over and opened it, surprised to see a teenager standing there, brows arched in surprise, mirroring his own.

"Are you Sesshoumaru?" The boy blurted. He nodded once, not understanding how the boy could have known him or why he had come to Kagome's apartment and not his own.

"My sister, Kagome. The woman from the foundation told me she lived here."

Izayoi again. He mentally cursed her meddling, understanding immediately what his stepmother had been trying to do. Understanding it was not accepting however, and he doubted Kagome would appreciate her little brother being in such a run down part of town.

"She's sick."

"Please, I need to talk to her."

"She's ill," He tried again, but the boy was shoving past him, as rude and ignorant of courtesy as his sister. He closed the door and followed, watching the teenager head straight for the bedroom. It crossed his mind to stop the boy, but it would only cause noise and wake Kagome anyway. At least at this point there was a chance he would see her and walk back out, letting her sleep.

And he did. The bedroom door opened and then closed less than a minute later, the boy turning to him, eyes narrowed angrily.

"What did you do to her?"

"Nothing," He replied in the coolest tone he could muster. "Except try to keep her comfortable. Why are you here?"

"What's wrong with her? She looks awful."

"A stomach virus. It will pass within a day or two. Why are you here?" Because if they boy led her mother to the apartment, he wasn't entirely sure what he would do. The idea of the woman coming, the actual possibility finally confronting him, scraped against already raw nerves. Despite his surprise at his anger, it did not lessen by any degree.

"Kagome just disappeared. She's my sister-"

"Who is trying to create a life for herself."

"I know that," The boy snapped angrily. "I'm not an idiot, I've seen what mom's done to her. I just needed to make sure she was alright. She's my sister. I don't care what mom says."

Which begged the question of just what his mother was saying. It was not his concern, and he had to force himself to remember that, to not ask. If he did, the strange anger that had sparked at the boy's arrival would only get worse. As inexplicable as it was, he didn't want her mother near her, didn't want her to have to deal with that sort of frustration on top of everything else.

"Souta?"

They both turned back to the bedroom door, where Kagome stood. She looked miserable and awful and uncertain.

"Kagome, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout," Souta, as he now knew him, mumbled apologetically. "Sesshoumaru said you were sick. I didn't mean to just-"

"How did you find me?" Kagome asked, walking further into the hall, looking ill but not weaving as she had before.

"The woman from the foundation. I mean, I found her card in your room and I figured you would check in with her to let her know what was going on. I hoped- She was really helpful, by the way," He finished lamely.

"Does mom-"

"No! No," He added more quietly. "I won't tell mom. She's sort of- mad right now anyway."

"I'll grab something for us to drink," She started, walking further down the hall.

"I'll get it. Go back to bed," Sesshoumaru said, finally interrupting the strangely distant reunion. "I'll bring them back to you."

She looked ready to protest, but her younger brother seemed oblivious, walking down the hall and ushering her back into her room. Thankful for a moment to think without their presence, he walked back into the kitchen and opened the door, scanning for sodas. Izayoi, ever the health nut, had only stocked bottles of water. Figuring it would at least be easier on her stomach, he grabbed two and closed the door.

A brother.

Well, at least he wasn't the only one that had to deal with a nosy sibling. Walking back to her room, he was surprised to see her sitting down, leaning against the wall while her brother made her bed, putting the sheet on the futon and pillowcases on the pillow.

"Thanks," She mumbled, accepting the bottle of water.

"I'm going back to my apartment for a little while, but you can send your brother if you need anything. If not, I'll be back within an hour or two."

She nodded, seeming to understand his intentions. As much as he wanted to keep her safe, he doubted her brother was a danger, not after the succinct explanation he had given. It would be better for the two of them to discuss what had happened without his presence.

Breathing freely as he stepped out onto the hallway and walked over to the stairs, forging the elevator completely. Taking them two at a time, he made it to his apartment fairly quickly. When he opened the door, he saw his brother still sitting at the table, eyes pinned on him the moment he stepped in.

"Why are you here?" Inu Yasha snapped.

"I live here," He it out, knowing that he wanted a shower, and to be away from his brother, more than he had ever wanted anything before.

"You should be with Kagome."

"She's with her little brother."

"Her-"

"It's fine. He won't tell their mother."

"Does he-"

"He thinks she has a simple stomach virus."

There was a long moment of silence and he began walking for his room again when his brother's hand fell on his shoulder. Unused to the contact, he stiffened and throttled the urge to throw a punch. The last thing he needed was to kill his half brother, no matter how unwelcome the touch was.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," He snapped, shrugging his shoulder away and walking for his room.

"You need to tell her. This just proves it."

He ignored his brother's words.

He did not need to tell her anything. It proved nothing.

* * *

** A/N:** Do you guys know how absolutely proud I am of ALL OF YOU for seeing the no condom bit? I can't tell you how much I love you for it. Also. This story will be updated on Tuesdays. I'm currently working on the next chapter. From now on this will not be ignored. The chapters might be slightly shorter because I'm trying to revive everything at the same time, but it will not go back on hiatus unless something major happens. Like I get hit by a bus or . See ya Tuesday!


	18. The Other Shore

**Corona**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter 18: The Other Shore**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the rights to Inu Yasha or to anything by Matt Lange

A Note: This one is short guys, and a bit bipolar. After discussing it with a friend, I decided to keep the mental pinballing, mostly because that was the consensus of how people might feel in that situation. As for the incredible shortness, I apologize, but I don't want to jump drastically from scenes. So please forgive me. I do have the next chapter written, and we'll be back on track after such a long delay. Thank you for all of your reviews and well wishes for my less than happy harddrive.

* * *

When Sesshoumaru came back, Souta was sitting with her in their living room. The couch had been delivered, and they both lounged on it, one at each end. She was still wrapped in a blanket and sipping from a water bottle. Wondering if he was interrupting, he paused at the door, shocked when Souta waved him in.

"You were taking care of my sister, so you can't be all bad," Souta said with a smile.

Sesshoumaru mentally scoffed.

"Look, I've got to get going soon, but I'm glad you're feeling a little better. Let me know what your schedule is and I'll come visit again. Or I can go to your school and we can grab lunch," He promised, standing and bending to hug her around her neck. As he walked to the door, he paused next to Sesshoumaru and offered a bright smile.

"Take care of her. She'll fight you on it, but she needs it."

And with that strange statement hanging in the air, he was out the door and closing it behind him.

"Twerp," Kagome muttered quietly, although the grousing did little to hide the affection in her voice. She sighed before looking over at him, face a much healthier shade than it had been when he had left her, although still too pale for his liking.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. Still nauseous, but not as dizzy. Thanks, for giving us some time together. It was good to talk to him about this."

He said nothing as he walked over and sat across from her, mostly because he wasn't sure what to say next.

"Mom has apparently gone off the deep end. She's really angry, even forbidden Souta from seeing me. I didn't think she would get this mad," She sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Souta, he's seen more than I realized. I think he understood what was going on better than I did," She admitted quietly. "He understands why I left, but grandpa doesn't. Neither does mom."

He remained quiet, let her talk about the things her brother had told her. Despite her anger, a very justified anger at that, she seemed hurt that her mother had disowned her so completely.

"It is not the cleanest break," He finally said quietly. "But it is a complete one. There is no going back."

"I suppose not. Maybe that will make things easier," She sighed. "I wish it hadn't come to this. I feel like somehow it's all my fault."

He didn't want to tell her that it was, in part, her fault. Not only because it was the wrong thing to say, but because she still looked ill. After a quick search on the internet to check on the side effects of the pill and reading through testimonials, he had determined that she would need watching throughout the night. Not to mention his brother had outright told him to stay away, following it with threats to be as loud and insufferably annoying as he could be for however long he was there. And for once, the threat didn't feel empty, and he wasn't in the mood to try and deal with it.

"It isn't. Your mother must learn to let go, and you must learn to stand on your own feet."

"Am I though?" She asked quietly.

"You're on your own, making your own decisions," He pointed out.

"Yes, wonderful decisions," She groaned. "I get on my own, with someone paying my way for me, and the first thing I do is have unprotected sex. Obviously I have a total handle on this."

He tried not to let the comment get to him, but it did. After all, she hadn't been the only one to forget, and unlike her, he had been sexually active, knew the responsibilities that came with it. And another, more jealous part of himself was angry, because she was having her way paid. It would be nothing like what he and his half brother had experienced.

"What if I did exactly what mom was scared of?" She asked, voice trembling lightly.

He stifled an oath before it had a chance to leave his mouth. It had not occurred to him that she might perceive the mistake as proof positive that her mother had been correct. If anything, he had expected her to turn on her mother's draconian tactics.

"No one is exempt from mistakes," He told her, trying to keep his voice even. "You are bound to make them now that you have been given the freedom to choose. And it was not a mistake you made on your own," He reminded her.

Her gratitude was a palpable thing, and her sagging form moving across the couch to lean against him was, in a strange way, comforting in and of itself. That she hadn't refuted his explanation or burst into tears was enough to assure him that his words sunk in.

"Thanks for dealing with this," She finally sighed.

And because she had no one else, because she was his, in a way, he knew that he would not turn her away, not now. But admitting it to himself was a far cry from speaking the words aloud, and he knew that whatever had happened the night before had changed something, but it was not enough.

"You're welcome," He said instead, allowing her to snuggle into his side. When she began to doze, he finally chanced a look down at her.

It occurred to him that even if she would forgive his deception, she would never fit in his world. Once his time was up, he would go back, and she would still work with her fans, still be interested in chemistry. Even if they could continue their relationship, and he refused to admit that the idea appealed, she would always be an outsider, would, in the viciously delicate terms of the business aristocracy, never be quite up to the mark. You could dress a chicken in peacock feathers, but it's nature remained the same.

Maybe when it was over, he could burn the bridge efficiently, effectively. Not as messily as her mother had, but thoroughly and completely. It would help her move into her own future, and he could pursue his own.

She groaned in her sleep, shivering violently. He shifted until he was laying alongside her on the couch, his feet dangling over the arm, and wrapped his arm around her. Her trembling stopped and within seconds her breathing had evened back out, her face relaxed.

Whatever would happen would happen, he told himself. But for now...

A confusing, contrary voice in his head whispered to him, tempted him. If just for now, he wanted to savor what time he did have with her.

* * *

She took the second pill, grimacing and waiting for the side effects, some of which lingered stubbornly, to come back and worsen. Keeping food down had been difficult knowing she was going to be facing it again, But Sesshoumaru had been adamant that she eat something.

"I hate this," She sighed again. She felt whiny and childish, but couldn't stop herself from feeling miserable. Even though he'd said the right things, the things that made her feel marginally better, she couldn't help but feel as if he'd retreated, perhaps rightfully so. Maybe they had gotten too close to fast, maybe she was clinging to hard. But she didn't want him to retreat, not now. Once her brother had left, silence had descended and Sesshoumaru's habitual silence gave her too much time to think about the night before and what it could possibly mean.

"If it were easy everyone would chose it over other means," He commented quietly.

She made a note that, should they have sex again, she was going to make sure he was wearing a condom if she had to put it on him herself. Which was mortifying in and of itself.

"I smell awful," She announced, changing the subject. And really, they both did. An hour snuggled into his armpit had only driven home that they both still smelled of fuel and sex and stale sweat. It wasn't entirely unpleasant, but it wasn't something she wanted to linger in.

"Come on," He instructed, standing. Cautiously she stood, ignored the wave of vertigo that threatened, and followed him down the short hallway and to the bathroom. He pointed to the toilet and she sat quietly, watching as he plug the bath and began running water. He said nothing, but when he finally turned the knobs to shut off the flow, he stood again and turned to her. It really was a small bathroom.

"Up."

It wasn't said in a cool tone of voice, but it wasn't warm either. Standing, she helped him remove the shirt and pants, saying nothing when he kicked them out of the way. He did help her get into the bath, and she gratefully sat in the warm water.

"Are things different now?" She quietly asked as he pulled a bottle of soap from the corner. Sesshoumaru stopped, brows knitting together before leaning back and bracing his forearm on the rim of the tub.

"I don't think so."

It was only mildly comforting that he seemed as uncertain as she felt.

"I don't want it to. I don't want us to stop being friends first."

"We won't," He answered quietly.

And because she trusted him, she let him help her bath, and when the dizziness returned full force, she let him help her out of the tub feeling like a half drowned kitten, too weak to move on her own. Ignoring the water dripping to the floor, he helped her to her room and quickly dried her body. Her hair was still damp when he wrapped her in her blanket.

"Please don't go yet," She whimpered, shaking as another tremor ran through her.

"I haven't bathed."

"I don't care."

She didn't want to seem clingy or insipid, but she also didn't want to be alone.

When he laid down next to her, she breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes, riding out the tumult of physical sensations telling herself that she was paying for a mistake, and that it was one she wouldn't be making again.


End file.
